First Minister John Swinney has defended his decision not to invite Reform UK to a political summit to discuss the threat from the far right.

Reform, which denies being far right, claims the meeting is really an "anti-democratic" attempt to curb its growing electoral support.

Swinney said the summit, being held on Wednesday, would focus on shared values and Reform's approach to immigration caused him "enormous concern".

He told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show that parties represented at Holyrood had been invited. The Scottish Conservatives have said they will not attend, describing the meeting as an unnecessary "talking shop".

Swinney announced plans to hold the forum in February, saying parties had to unite to "lock out" the far right from Scottish politics.

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has not been invited despite its insistence that it opposes far right extremism.

The party won 7% of the vote in Scotland at the 2024 general election and recent polling suggests this could have risen as high as 17%, which would see it with a significant presence at Holyrood after next year's election.