Back in May, as Britain prepared to vote in the European elections – after it was supposed to have already left the EU – the Brexit Party was soaring in the polls.
Across England and Wales, support for Nigel Farage’s newly-formed party surged, but in Scotland, conventional wisdom suggested the political wave was unlikely to carry upwards – after all, 62% voted to remain in the European Union in the 2016 referendum.
So when the results came in and the Brexit Party came second – with 14.8% of the vote – it was something of a surprise. So who are Scotland’s Brexiteers?
The Scottish National Party were the clear and unsurprising winners, securing three of the countries six MEPs with 37.8% of the vote. After all, Scottish independence continues to dominate local politics, with Brexit a key issue used by nationalists to show the apparent democratic deficit at the very heart of the Union.
The SNP had campaigned on a strong message that any type of Brexit – deal or no deal, would be against the country’s interest – a strategy which has served them well.
But for the Scots who backed the Brexit Party, it’s a very different story.
Sandra, 41, from Angus in North East Scotland, said that she voted remain in the referendum, but opted for the Brexit Party. “I think we need to bring this to an end, but politicians from the usual parties don’t seem like they can do it.
“No deal worries me, but I worry more that not leaving soon will paralyse the country and [will] be used by the SNP to push for independence.
“I believe in the United Kingdom, the referendum result was about each person having one vote and we should now live with our decision together as we leave.”
Others Scots said they voted for the Brexit Party because they felt ignored by Scottish politics, which is largely pro-EU with little Euroscepticism across the Scottish political parties.
James, 22, a chemical engineering student from Glasgow, said this was a big part of his vote for the Brexit Party: “The SNP and other parties don’t represent the middle ground, they ignore the large chunk of voters who are ready to move on and accept the result no matter how they voted [in the EU referendum.]”
Charles Devlin, a restaurant area manager who normally backs the Scottish Conservative party, explained why he voted for the Brexit Party despite having positive views on immigration and employing hundreds of workers from inside and outside of the EU.
Devlin said: “I don’t think the Brexit Party could stand at a general election because they have people like Nigel Farage right through to former Communist Party members, this vote wasn’t about social or domestic issues and that’s why they won support.
“Voting for them was about saying ‘let’s get out’ and also sending a message that we should make the best of it rather than viewing it as a damage limitation exercise.”
Aleksander, 22, who moved from Poland to study law in Scotland, said that despite previously being an ardent opponent to Brexit, and a self described socialist, he had also backed the party: “Over the years my opinion has changed and I now support the UK leaving the EU, without a deal if necessary.
“The Brexit Party is a single issue party, and if this was a general election that would be a disadvantage for me, but knowing how the European Parliament works this was something of a protest vote and I was comfortable with the political history of the candidate here.
“Most of the electorate saw the European elections as a second referendum, and either backed the Brexit Party or a pro-EU party like the Lib Dems in England or the SNP in Scotland.”
Aleksander said the SNP’s behaviour also alarmed him following the EU referendum: “The way the SNP has used Poles or other immigrants is I think quite dishonest. When they try to supplement their view for the view of the whole of Scotland, they suggest those who don’t support those policies are not the ‘right kind’ of immigrant for Scotland. I see a lot of comparison between them and the way the far right governing party in my country behave.”
The Brexit Party may have received a comparatively modest vote in Scotland, but combined with the debate on Scottish independence the party could continue to grow its influence - a real challenge for opposition political parties already squeezed by the dominant SNP.