Two North Ayrshire councillors defect from Conservatives to Reform
Stewart Ferguson and Matthew McLean confirmed they were leaving the party on Friday
The North Ayrshire Conservative Group have been rocked with the shock news that two councillors have jumped ship to join controversial party Reform UK.
Councillors Stewart Ferguson and Matthew McLean on Friday gave letters to Tory leader Cameron Inglis to confirm they were leaving the party.
Both are in their first terms in the local authority, although McLean previously stood for UKip in the area.
It’s anticipated that the pair will be unveiled at Reform’s Scottish conference tomorrow and as of Monday, they’ll officially be representing Nigel Farage’s party.
It is disappointing in my eyes"
Inglis said: “They will be the only councillors I believe from this area moving to Reform although I don’t think they will be the only ones to defect. They are no longer Conservative councillors and will sit as Reform councillors.
“It is disappointing in my eyes as we are losing councillors and will be down to six councillors in the chamber.
“I believe we are the only party putting out common sense policy on tax and on justice. I think Reform are more right-wing. We are the only ones concentrating on frontline services and we have proven that through the budget exercise.
“Reform are more right wing and a party who don’t have policy in Scotland but are an English national party and they don’t represent Scottish values.
“We don’t see the high levels of immigration here that England sees. It was quite a quick movement. I spoke to them before they handed in the letters as I had heard rumours but they said there was nothing I could do to change their minds.
“We will keep going with our six good councillors and challenge the administration.”