Nigel Farage: Reform leader says Conservatives face wipe-out in Scotland as MSP Graham Simpson defects

Nigel Farage has told the Conservatives they face being wiped out in Scotland as he welcomed the first direct defection of one of the party's MSPs to Reform UK.

Speaking at a press conference in Uphall, West Lothian, Mr Farage predicted the Tories will do so badly in next year's Holyrood election "they will cease to be a political force" north of the border.

It came as Graham Simpson, an MSP for Central Scotland since 2016, announced his defection to Reform and opened the door for former Tory colleagues to join him.

Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage speaks during a press conference at the Houston Suite, Macdonald Houstoun House, in Uphall, Broxburn. | PA

Tory sources spoke of despair within the party in Scotland. One MSP said there was "utter chaos" under Scottish leader Russell Findlay, adding: "I wouldn’t be surprised if more jump ship.”

Mr Simpson is the third MSP to leave the Tories in recent months, after Jamie Greene defected to the Scottish Liberal Democrats and Jeremy Balfour announced his intention to sit as an independent, with both raising concerns about the party’s shift to the populist right in a bid to combat Reform.

Addressing journalists, Mr Simpson said it was an “absolute wrench” to leave the party he had first joined at the age of 15. However, he said too many people had been let down and ignored, and Reform offered the opportunity to create something new.

He conceded his decision would initially "spark anger, disappointment and probably some sheer nastiness". Shortly after these comments, a Tory source told journalists that Mr Simpson was a "pathetic, nasty little man who won't be missed".

They claimed he previously had to apologise to a female member of staff for acting in a bullying and intimidating manner. Mr Simpson said this was "absolutely untrue", adding: "I certainly don't have a problem with women."

Mr Simpson is Reform’s first direct defection at Holyrood and its second-ever MSP. Michelle Ballantyne was briefly the party’s first MSP in 2021 after having sat as an independent, although she was elected as a Tory to the Parliament. She later lost her seat at the 2021 election.

Mr Farage said he wanted Reform UK to be “strong enough” in Scotland to “get rid of the SNP”. He suggested he could cut a deal with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to keep the nationalists out of power.

The Scottish Tories have seen more than a dozen councillors around Scotland defect to Reform.

Mr Farage said the Tories have “declining credibility”, adding: "I think that next May the Scottish Conservatives will do so badly in those Scottish elections that they will cease to be a political force in Scotland."

He continued: "I genuinely believe that what will happen here next May for the Conservatives is pretty much a wipe out."

Mr Farage confirmed a separate Reform leader will be elected in Scotland ahead of the 2026 election. “We will, of course, have a leader of our group who will go in as a leader of our group and be a potential first minister,” he said.

“We are a work in progress, we’re growing. We’re probably an advanced teenager now, we haven’t got to full maturity as a political party and, as I said a moment ago, we have 200 candidates over the weekend being interviewed.”

Reform UK leader alongside new party MSP and former Scottish Tory Graham Simpson. | Alistair Grant/The Scotsman

Mr Simpson said he does not expect to be made Reform leader in Scotland simply because he defected.

“I’m not coming here today as somebody who’s been parachuted in to be the Reform leader, that would be entirely wrong, it would be wrong for the members of Reform,” he said. “I’m just here as I am, as an MSP.”

He said he will be tasked with the creation of a “policy suite” which goes beyond Reform’s current offering.

Graham Simpson has quit the Scottish Conservatives to join Reform. | PA

Mr Simpson said: “Too many people feel let down and ignored, they feel the system is against them, that the traditional parties don’t even care about them. Save for some fine individual MSPs across parties, the political class is not serving the people well. Failure is accepted and change takes far too long.”

He said he did not know if other Tory MSPs will jump ship to Reform. “I’ve not spoken to anyone,” he said. “None of my former colleagues in the Conservatives knew what I was going to do today.”

Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage speaks during a press conference at the Houston Suite, Macdonald Houstoun House, in Uphall, Broxburn. | PA

Responding to Mr Simpson’s defection, a Scottish Conservative spokesperson said: “We remain focused on holding the SNP and Labour to account.

“The Scottish Conservatives are determined to provide positive common-sense solutions to drive our economy forward, so we can reduce NHS waiting lists and invest more in education.

“Nigel Farage has said he’s content with another five years of SNP Government. We’re going to keep focusing on how to get the nationalists out of power.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “Yet another lifelong Tory has decided to flee their sinking ship in a bid to save their own career, but it will take more than a new rosette to make Scots forget the damage Tories like Graham Simpson have inflicted on our country over the years.

“It’s clear that Reform are simply Tories by another name, but neither party has any answers to the challenges Scotland faces. The Scottish Tories are now a total irrelevance in Scottish politics, but Reform can’t get rid of this incompetent SNP government either.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the defection showed the Conservatives are “in freefall”, adding: “I had hoped that the Scottish Liberal Democrats would overtake them at the Scottish election but if this keeps up, we’ll achieve that goal long before then.

“One thing is for sure, the Conservatives will once again double down and try to race Reform UK to the extremes.”

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “This is desperate opportunism from Graham Simpson, who has chosen to align with a party that just yesterday said they would work with the Taliban to deport vulnerable people and put them at risk of torture and execution.

“Reform UK are clearly the first choice for failed Tory politicians who are jumping from a sinking ship in order to keep their seats. Every political party and media platform has a responsibility to call out the lies, racism and grift of Farage and Reform.

“Those who have merely echoed far right talking points, as the UK government is doing, risk making this extremist agenda far more dangerous.”

The SNP’s Mairi McAllan said: “Nigel Farage is the ultimate symbol of Westminster failure.

“He has the same failed, Thatcherite economic policies that have stagnated the UK economy and held back living standards – and he has just taken the same ugly, anti-immigrant rhetoric that has been allowed to fester at Westminster for decades to new extremes.”