Reform UK has won its first seat in Scotland following a council by-election in West Lothian.
David McLennan took the seat in the Whitburn and Blackburn ward with 1,177 votes.
The turnout for the by-election was 22% of the electorate.
Callum Cox of the SNP came second with 1,026 while Labour’s Samuel McCulloch came third with 627 votes.
Party leader Nigel Farage hailed the victory as “fantastic” and said Reform had been expected to win.
Glasgow Reform councillor Thomas Kerr called the win “historic”.
“Scotland’s forgotten working-class communities won’t be silenced anymore,” he said.
“Watch this space folks, we’re just getting started.”
Speaking to STV News, McLennan said: “We’re speaking the language that [voters] understand. Common sense is coming to a lot of it. The rhetoric coming in from the Labour and the SNP parties has been what they’ve been used to for the last 16 or 17 years, and they’ve just had enough of it. And I think they’re willing to give us another shot.”
When asked if he was comfortable with the language used by some of the leadership in the party and allegations of racism, McLennan responded: “I think the language coming from the leadership is the language from the leadership. I don’t necessarily think it’s from the body corporate of the members. I think that they are in completely different situations to many of us. And, I certainly think that, you know, sticks and stones.
“I think the fact that the people of West Lothian found that I was worthy of being elected, that says a lot to me. It doesn’t matter what they call us on the airwaves. It’s what the people think in the background.”
The by-election win comes after a new poll suggests Reform UK are gaining ground behind the SNP ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections.
The poll also suggests that Scottish Labour’s support has fallen.
The Ipsos Scotland Political Pulse survey of 1,061 adults, conducted between November 27 and December 3, shows the SNP on 35% of the Scottish Parliament constituency vote.
That’s a 17-point lead over Reform UK, who stand on 18%, up four points since June.
Scottish Labour’s constituency vote share has dropped seven points since June to 16%.
The poll also revealed that healthcare and the NHS is the top concern for 57% of voters ahead of May’s election.
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