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Reform UK Outspends Rivals in Holyrood By-Election Advertising Blitz

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Reform UK's decision to launch a significant advertising campaign on Meta platforms ahead of the Holyrood by-election in South Lanarkshire has seen the party outspend its rivals by a substantial margin, with estimates suggesting it has spent between £9,000 and £10,000 on targeted ads. The campaign, which has been condemned as "blatantly racist" by Scottish Labour, is aimed at securing Reform's first-ever seat at Holyrood, with the party's deputy leader, Richard Tice, stating that the by-election is now a "two-horse race" between the SNP and Reform. The party's reliance on digital advertising is not surprising, given its lack of traditional campaign infrastructure, according to Professor Kate Dommett, a digital politics expert at the University of Sheffield.

Key Takeaways:

  • Reform UK has spent between £9,000 and £10,000 on targeted ads on Meta platforms ahead of the Holyrood by-election in South Lanarkshire, significantly outspending its rivals.
  • The party's campaign, which has been condemned as "blatantly racist" by Scottish Labour, aims to secure Reform's first-ever seat at Holyrood and is now considered a "two-horse race" between the SNP and Reform.
  • Professor Kate Dommett, a digital politics expert at the University of Sheffield, notes that Reform UK's reliance on digital advertising is not surprising, given its lack of traditional campaign infrastructure.
  • The party's decision to target voters in Hamilton and Larkhall, with a video advert that claims Labour candidate Anas Sarwar will "prioritise the Pakistani community", has been widely criticized.
  • The ad has received as many as 600,000 impressions, with users aged 25 to 34 most likely to see the ad.
  • Reform UK's recent success on Facebook has allowed them to communicate with the electorate using unpaid posts to communicate with the electorate using Nigel Farage's Facebook page.
  • The party has had success on Facebook, using unpaid posts to communicate with the electorate, and Facebook ads allow them to target their message at specific electoral geographies.
  • Scottish Labour has spent less on ads, with an outlay of between £1,300 and £1,900, while the SNP has spent minimal sums, ranging from less than £100 to between £300 and £400.

Statistics:

  • £9,000 - £10,000: estimated amount spent by Reform UK on targeted ads on Meta platforms.
  • 600,000: number of impressions received by the party's advert on Meta.
  • 25-34: age group most likely to see the party's advert.
  • £1,300 - £1,900: amount spent by Scottish Labour on ads.
  • £300 - £400: amount spent by the SNP on ads.
  • 33%: percentage of the constituency vote won by the SNP in the Survation poll.
  • 29%: percentage of the regional vote won by the SNP in the Survation poll.
  • 19%: percentage of the constituency vote won by Reform UK in the Survation poll.
  • 20%: percentage of the list vote won by Reform UK in the Survation poll.
  • 18%: percentage of the first-past-the-post vote won by Labour in the Survation poll.
  • 18%: percentage of the regional vote won by Labour in the Survation poll.

Sources:

  • "/news/politics/nigel-farages-reform-is-more-of-a-threat-to-labour-in-scotland-says-professor-sir-john-curtice-5131742"
  • "/news/scottish-news/hundreds-attend-funeral-of-snp-minister-christina-mckelvie-5080074"
  • "/news/politics/reform-uk-nigel-farage-advert-anas-sarwar-racist-5142801"
  • "/news/opinion/columnists/how-to-launch-a-social-media-revolution-to-strip-musk-and-zuckerberg-of-their-power-5014730"
  • "/news/politics/poll-nigel-farages-reform-predicted-to-become-official-holyrood-opposition-ahead-of-tories-and-labour-5117700"
  • "/news/politics/gillian-mackay-launches-bid-to-become-co-leader-of-the-scottish-greens-5120955"

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