Former Tory MSP Jamie Greene defects to Lib Dems

Former Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Greene has joined the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

He announced on Thursday he had left the Conservatives, accusing it of becoming “Reform-lite” and “Trump-esque in both style and substance”.

The move brings the total number of Lib Dems in Holyrood to five, while the Tories drop to 30.

Greene was announced as the party’s newest MSP at its conference in Inverness, where he addressed delegates ahead of UK party leader Ed Davey.

He said: “In politics, I have worked to make life better for the people I represent and to live up to the values of ambition, openness, and freedom that have driven me all my life.

“As my former party misguidedly revels in the worst aspects of our politics, I have chosen to join a party whose values align with mine – the Scottish Liberal Democrats.”

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said he was “over the moon” to have Greene on board.

He said: “Jamie is respected on all sides of the chamber. He is one of the parliament’s most effective communicators and has a selfless compassion which is seldom seen in our line of work.

“He speaks to a massive constituency of people who voted for Ruth Davidson’s Conservatives and are now dismayed to see that party lurching to extremes. His words have sent a shockwave through our country’s politics.”