Banff councillor John Cox has become the third in Aberdeenshire to join Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, the P&J can reveal.
The veteran politician was kicked out of the SNP group in 2017.
Former Aberdeenshire Conservative representatives Mark Findlater and Laurie Carnie become the first Reform councillors in Scotland last October.
However, Mr Cox intends to continue sitting as an independent on the local authority, despite joining Reform as a member in the last fortnight.
It marks a twist in a long political journey.
Mr Cox was once tipped to lead Aberdeenshire Council’s SNP group.
But he was at odds with the party on several issues, including his support for Brexit.
He also did not want to follow SNP policies which he says “put his ward at a disadvantage”.
His failure to stick to party policy, along with claims he was not an effective campaigner and missed some party meetings, led the party to block his bid to stand as a candidate in the 2017 local council elections.
Asked why he wants to join Reform UK, he referenced “economic decline” of his local ward.
He said high taxes are “hampering local businesses” and criticised the Labour government’s policies around industries such as oil and gas and farming.
“I support legal immigration,” he added.
“I think it should be more flexible to support manufacturing, healthcare and professional services.
“Illegal and uncontrollable immigration is the issue.”
Mr Cox said he had wanted Scottish independence as an SNP member to help get out of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy.
“After Brexit, the SNP wanted to go back into Europe and hand back powers,” he added.
Reform’s Aberdeenshire surge
Reform’s surge in regions such as Aberdeenshire means the party is primed to send MSPs to Holyrood, sparking alarm for the SNP and Tories.
Jo Hart, Reform’s candidate in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East at the last general election, won more than 5,000 votes by targeting disillusioned Tory voters.
Businessman Conrad Ritchie mopped up more than a quarter of the vote in a recent Fraserburgh by-election, which was won by the Tories.
One poll suggested Reform could win up to 12 seats at the next Scottish Parliament election in 2026.
That includes a potential two from the North East electoral region stretching from Banff south to Dundee.
Mr Cox previously ran for Reform in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election on the North East list and wouldn’t rule out another try “if an opportunity arose”.
Mr Cox said: “Based on my own personal canvassing, there is a groundswell of support for change and they are supportive of some of the ideas that are being spoken about.”
Martyn Greene, Reform’s new organiser in Scotland, said that as of Thursday morning the party had 7,500 members, compared with the 6,941 who were eligible to vote at the Scottish Tory leadership election in September.
He said the party plans to stand candidates in all 73 constituencies at Holyrood.
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