Two Aberdeenshire councillors have joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK after quitting the Tories.
Ex-council chief Mark Findlater and his former Conservative colleague Laurie Carnie are now the first councillors for Mr Farage’s growing party in Scotland.
It comes just one day after new Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay visited Fraserburgh, where he needs to win back frustrated voters who backed Reform in the Westminster election in July.
And it will alarm Tory chiefs two weeks before three Aberdeenshire Council byelections.
Troup councillor Mr Findlater quit the local Conservative group just two weeks ago with a cryptic quote by Chronicles of Narnia author C.S. Lewis.
Referencing the famous writer, he said: “One of the most cowardly things people do is shut their eyes to facts.”
Mr Findlater became Aberdeenshire Council chief after the 2022 local elections.
But he was ousted from the post and replaced by Tory colleague Gillian Owen just a year later.
Ms Carnie, who represents the Mearns ward, was first elected as a Conservative councillor two years ago.
She quit the party recently before making the decision to join Reform.
Reform said the defections show “the Tory brand is broken not just in England but across the UK”.
A spokesperson added: “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.”
Reform caused shockwaves after exceeding expectations in July’s election, beating the Tories in numerous constituencies across the country.
The party’s highest share of the vote – more than 14% – came in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East where Douglas Ross was beaten by the SNP.
Polling for the next Holyrood election has indicated Mr Farage’s party could win seats in Holyrood if support is sustained.
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