Nigel Farage has been accused of copying the tactics of Donald Trump after he criticised a journalist at a press conference.
The Reform UK leader accused Andrew Learmonth, the political editor of The Herald newspaper, of colluding with protesters outside the venue in Aberdeen.
Farage was in the city ahead of a crucial Scottish Parliament by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse on Thursday.
After calling the journalist to ask him a question, Farage said: “Andrew Learmonth, it seems that you’re involved with this group of protesters outside.”
When the journalist told Farage he wasn’t, the Reform leader replied: “Well it’s funny isn’t it that you come and your newspaper also manages to have another one of your correspondents as a protest correspondent, so you know more about this than we did.”
Learmonth then said: “That’s not true at all, Nigel, sorry.”
Farage eventually told the reporter: “If you say that, I believe you.”
But he added: “This location was only sent to you guys, it wasn’t sent on the public wires. We didn’t put it out to our membership and yet [the protesters] knew. It came from one of you.”
Catherine Salmond, the editor of The Herald, condemned Farage.
She said: “The responsibility of a trusted news brand is to act with integrity. The idea that The Herald was involved with protests in Aberdeen against Nigel Farage and Reform UK is ridiculous.
“Our job is to report on the truth and to hold those who do not tell the truth to account.
“Attacking the media has become commonplace under Donald Trump in the US and today we have seen it here in Scotland, by Reform UK, against The Herald. A low tactic and one we should all stand against.”