The SNP has been saved by an old leader, coaxed from retirement out of love for his party and his country.

After decades on the political front line – including an earlier stint as leader – his experience and name recognition eclipses all others in his party, who merely bask today in the success he helped deliver yesterday.

Even his opponents are begrudgingly forced to recognise his skill as a communicator and savvy as a political operator.

The SNP’s messiah is, of course, not John Swinney, but Nigel Farage.

The Reform UK leader’s comeback has propelled his party up the polls and – with no small measure of irony – looks set to help the SNP save face come July 4.

A new Survation poll this week has suggested Reform UK are slowly but steadily gaining in ground in Scotland, with eight percent of voters now backing the party.

And all this while Farage himself is apparently too scared – following an unpleasant barracking on the Royal Mile in 2013 – to set foot in Scotland during the campaign.

This is bad news for the Scottish Conservative Party, who face a number of tight fights against the SNP in the north east.

Should Douglas........

© The Courier