Reform UK has secured the defection of a former Tory MP in Scotland, providing yet another boost as Nigel Farage aims for Downing Street. Ross Thomson, who represented Aberdeen South from 2017 to 2019, has confirmed he has switched to Reform UK after concluding that all other parties in Scotland have “abandoned the North East”.
He told the Daily Express that the decision to switch parties is one “I wrestled with for years”.
He said: “I finally decided a few months ago to join and to be honest it’s been a weight off my mind. It was a personal decision and I joined without fanfare or wanting attention.”
In a further public statement he added: “Only the strong, common sense, leadership of Nigel Farage offers the real change we need – standing up for our oil & gas industry, and defending our fishing communities.”
Mr Farage’s promises on bringing back oil drilling to Britain are causing a storm north of the border, with Reform recently coming within a whisker of defeating Labour and the SNP in a Holyrood MSP by-election.
Mr Thomson is now the eighth Tory to switch to Reform UK in North East Scotland, after a number of high-profile councillor defections.
A Reform UK spokesman said: “Reform UK is delighted to welcome anyone who shares our values, principles and desire to rid Scotland of 25 years of failing left-wing governments.”
The move is particularly embarrassing for the Tories as Mr Thomson recently praised Kemi Badenoch as the one to see of the threat of Nigel Farage.
Writing for the Scottish Daily Express, he said: “Reform has gained traction in Scotland because many voters feel disillusioned with the mainstream parties. But this is precisely why I believe Kemi Badenoch is the right leader at the right time.
“I am fortunate to know Kemi personally. I have worked with her and consider her a good friend. I can say without hesitation that Kemi is honourable and decent, driven by an immense sense of service. She has real-life experience, having overcome challenges, and she brings that resilience to her leadership. But beyond that, the Kemi I know is thoughtful, kind, and funny.
“The Conservative Party needs renewal, and Kemi Badenoch is the leader to make that happen. I am proud to support her, and I know that under her leadership, we can not only renew our party but also our country.”
Nigel Farage is now gaining real traction in Scotland for the first time in his political career.
Reform UK now polls consistently around second place, well ahead of the Tories and often ahead of Labour despite it being the latter’s traditional heartland.
The SNP remain comfortably in first place with leads in the low to mid teens, suggesting Labour’s dreams of retaking the Scottish Parliament next year have died.
