Glasgow councillor defects from Conservatives to Reform UK

The leader of the Conservatives on Glasgow City Council has quit the party for Reform UK.

Thomas Kerr, a city bailie, was elected to represent the city's Shettleston ward in 2017 at the age of 20.

He became the leader of the local authority's Tory bloc two years later but has now defected.

The loss of Kerr leaves the Conservatives with only one representative on Scotland's largest council, Bailieston's John Daly, after losing six seats at the last election in 2022 as the party saw its vote share fall.

Kerr, who has previously been a Westminster candidate for the Conservatives, said: "Joining Reform UK is a significant moment for me. My personal experiences with addiction, having lost my father to it and watched my mother recover, have deeply shaped my vision for the future.

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

"Reform UK represents the change that our communities desperately need, and I am excited to continue working for Shettleston as part of this new and dynamic party."

A Reform spokesperson said it was "rewarding to welcome someone as passionate and driven as Thomas" to the party.

Kerr, who was the Scottish chair of the Tory Reform Group, previously called for the Conservatives to "rebuild trust" and backed Tom Tugendhat in the party's more recent leadership contest. 

He said the Tories needed "a leader who understands Scotland", writing in the Glasgow Times that "we need a leader who isn’t afraid to tell some home truths and one who has duty running through their veins".

Reform UK predecessor Ukip saw its vote share fall in Glasgow at the 2022 local elections.

However, Reform outperformed the Tories in last summer's general election, winning 5.6 per cent of vote cast across the city, compared with four per cent for the Conservatives. The result put Farage's party in fourth place behind Labour, the SNP and the Greens.

Commenting on Kerr's defection, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said it had been "very disappointing to hear the news" that morning, adding: "My focus remains on holding this completely rotten SNP government to account."

Findlay, who recently succeeded Douglas Ross in the role, said he knew the party "faced big challenges" when he took the job and that "people feel disillusioned and disconnected" with politics. 

On the prospects for further defections, he told reporters: "It's my job to make sure that colleagues understand our direction of travel. I have confidence in the Scottish Conservative Party."

Meanwhile, Farage said: "I am delighted to welcome the Conservative group leader on Glasgow City Council to Reform UK.

"We look forward to the Scottish parliamentary elections with increasing anticipation."