Scots Tory councillor defects to Reform UK as party predicts 'more to come'

16 January 2025, 11:57 | Updated: 16 January 2025, 14:33

A leading Scottish Conservative councillor has defected to Reform UK, just days after his party leader Russell Findlay admitted he feared an exodus of his members to Nigel Farage's party.

Thomas Kerr, who has represented the Shettleston ward in Glasgow's deprived East End since 2017 - and led the Conservative group on the city council - is the biggest scalp taken by Reform UK in Scotland.

The party now has five councillors in Scotland, after former independent councillors - who had already quit the Scottish Conservatives - joined up.

And Reform UK sources have told LBC there are "more to come."

Kerr was seen as a rising star in the Scottish Conservative ranks, and had stood as candidate in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election in 2023 but lost to Labour's Michael Shanks.

He said: “Joining Reform UK is a significant turning point for me. My own experiences with addiction, losing my father and watching my mother recover, have shaped my desire to make real, lasting change.

"I am committed to ensuring that every person in Scotland who is struggling with addiction has access to the support and recovery services they need to rebuild their lives.

"Reform UK represents the change our communities desperately need, and I’m excited to continue my work for Shettleston with this dynamic new party.”

A Reform UK spokesperson said it welcomed the move from Kerr saying he had "proven himself as a dedicated leader, committed to making a real difference."

He added: "Thomas is dedicated to fighting for social mobility and offering a voice to communities that have been failed by the political establishment for far too long.

"This is an exciting chapter for Reform UK, as we continue to build momentum across Scotland. Thomas Kerr’s joining our party is a sign of the growing demand for real, practical change, change that delivers real solutions for the people of Scotland."

A party source told LBC that there were more defections to come, but wouldn't specify if they were at council or Holyrood level, or when they might jump.

On Monday after delivering a keynote speech Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay was asked about potential defections to Reform, which in the latest poll is neck-and-neck with his party on 15% for the next Holyrood elections.

He said: "There's always a risk in any party where colleagues might feel disillusioned, and this is why it's my job to persuade people that we get it, that we need to rebuild trust, it's going to be a long and difficult process, but I don't want any one to be tempted by going elsewhere."