Two former Scottish Conservative councillors join Reform UK

Two former Scottish Conservative councillors have joined Reform UK.  

Former leader of Aberdeenshire Council Mark Findlater and Laurie Carnie have become Reform UK’s first Scottish councillors. 

Findlater, who represents the Troup ward, resigned from the Tories earlier this month. At the time of his resignation, he said he would not be drawn on the exact reasons for his decision, opting to sit as an independent.  

Carnie, who is also elected to Aberdeenshire Council, had been sitting as an independent after leaving the Scottish Conservatives this month. 

It follows news earlier today that Jaymey McIvor – who has a Conservative councillor in Essex until being suspended earlier this month – had joined Nigel Farage’s party.  

Despite being the first councillors to represent Reform UK in Scotland, the pair are not the party’s first elected representatives. Michelle Ballantyne was the first Reform UK MSP in January 2021. 

She held the role of leader of Reform UK Scotland until February 2022.  

Commenting on the recent council gains, a Reform UK Spokesman said: “In less than 24 hours we have seen three councillors join Reform... The latest two today just go to show that the Tory brand is broken not just in England but across the United Kingdom. 

“Scotland has been failed by Labour and the SNP for decades and the Scottish Tories have been utterly dismal in their opposition.  

“This is just the start for Reform, we plan to campaign hard in the run up to the Holyrood election in 2026 and win seats right across Scotland.” 

A Scottish Conservative spokesperson said: “We are focused on holding the failing SNP and Labour governments to account.”