STORY
Scottish Conservative MSP Graham Simpson has defected to Reform UK, becoming the party’s first representative in the Scottish Parliament after a press conference with Nigel Farage in Broxburn, West Lothian. Simpson, a list MSP for Central Scotland since 2016 and a former Tory frontbencher, said leaving the party he joined at 15 was “an enormous wrench” but argued voters had been let down by the political establishment.
The move, a blow to new Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay, gives Reform a foothold at Holyrood ahead of the 2026 election. Simpson, who had already decided not to seek re-election as a Conservative, said he wanted to “create something fresh” in Scottish politics and suggested Reform’s agenda should extend beyond its trademark lines on net zero and immigration. Farage hailed the defection as a milestone and confirmed the party will appoint a Scottish leader for the Holyrood contest. Reform has been building its Scottish presence through local government, claiming 16 councillors, and sees Simpson’s move as momentum after polling spikes over the summer.
Simpson was elected via the regional list and will retain his seat as there is no requirement for a by-election when an MSP changes party. Critics warned that switching mid-term without seeking a new mandate raises questions of accountability, but the rules allow him to sit as Reform’s sole MSP until 2026.