TWO councillors in Scotland have joined Reform UK, becoming the first councillors to represent the party north of the Border.
It comes after a call from party leader Nigel Farage to all Tory councillors across the country.
Farage wrote to all 1352 Conservative councillors in the UK on Wednesday night, calling on them to join others who have already made the leap. He warned that "they are all working within a party whose brand has been trashed by scandal and broken promises”.
Now, two independent councillors in Aberdeenshire have joined the party. They are currently the party's only representation in Scotland.
The move comes despite the Reform UK having no formal leader and minimal structure in Scotland.
Former Scottish Conservative MSP Michelle Ballantyne defected to Reform in 2021, but lost her seat in the Holyrood elections later that year and resigned as the party's Scottish leader in February 2022.
In the call to councillors, Farage said: “The Conservative Party is a busted flush – these 1352 councillors are watching their time in office tick away, whilst they argue between themselves on whether to choose a Leader that’s undergone a damascene political conversion and a someone who won’t leave the ECHR.
“I urge any Conservative Party councillors who believe in their country and share our values to join Reform UK as we build on the extraordinary inroads we made at the General Election.”
Farage’s call was first answered by Jaymey McIvor a councillor in Essex.
Later on Thursday, the two from Aberdeenshire also joined. In reaction to the news, Reform UK reiterated the pledge to "campaign hard in the run up to the Holyrood election in 2026 and win seats right across Scotland".
One of the councillors, Mark Findlater, resigned from the Scottish Conservatives earlier this month after he was ousted as the head of the local Conservative party group in 2023.
Findlater — who represents the Troup ward —said when he resigned his membership that "the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. This is mine".
Laurie Carnie represents the Mearns ward and also resigned from the Tory group this month.
A spokesperson for Reform UK said: “In less than 24 hours we have seen three councillors join Reform, both leaving the Tory party.
"The latest two today just go to show that the Tory brand is broken not just in England but across the United Kingdom.
"Scotland has been failed by Labour and the SNP for decades and the Scottish Tories have been utterly dismal in their opposition.
"This is just the start for Reform, we plan to campaign hard in the run up to the Holyrood election in 2026 and win seats right across Scotland.”
Farage's party won 7% of the votes in Scotland in the General Election despite standing “paper candidates” in many constituencies, leading to viral social media campaigns to track them down.
