A scandal-hit councillor who made headlines after refusing to pay tax has revealed he will be running for the Brexit Party at the next general election.
Sebastian Leslie, who sits as an independent on Aberdeenshire Council after being suspended by the Tories last year, told the Press and Journal he would be challenging Tory MP Colin Clark for his Gordon seat at the next election.
Mr Leslie, who is the father of Game of Thrones star Rose Leslie, was banned by the Tories after racking up thousands of pounds in council tax arrears in what he claimed was a protest against corruption in the Scottish justice system.
He said: “The Brexit Party are putting out a set of policies that we believe will really appeal to the people of Scotland.
“The error to date of the SNP has been to try and create an independent Scotland in Europe and in the process, give away our farming, fishing and oil and gas.
“The Brexit Party approach is to give as much independence to Scotland as we can, so the Highlands can run own their own affairs and the lowlands without the centralisation of politics in Edinburgh”.
Mr Leslie said he would remain as an independent on Aberdeenshire Council, adding: “I went from Conservative to independent, it would unacceptable to move again from from independent to Brexit Party.”
Mr Clark batted off the threat from the Brexit Party, and insisted they would be a “distant memory” by October 31.
“All the polling shows the Boris factor will wipe them out,” he said.
“We need to get back to the things that matter to people health care, education and jobs.”
A spokesman for the Brexit Party confirmed Mr Leslie had been interviewed to stand for the party, he added: “Given the litany of betrayal by politicians of all stripes elected to Westminster it’s obviously the case that Mr Clark has the memory of a goldfish, he can be assured that his constituents have memories of elephants.”