Another Scottish Tory councillor has defected to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party. Renfrewshire councillor Alec Leishman becomes the sixth Conservative councillor to jump ship to the right wing outfit – a major blow for Scottish party leader Russell Findlay. He represents the Erskine and Inchinnan ward on the council.
Reform UK Scotland posted on X: “We are delighted to welcome Renfrewshire Cllr. Alec Leishman to Reform UK Scotland. Across the central belt people are coming together fed up and angry, ready to join our movement for change. Scotland needs Reform.”
The move will be a particular blow to Findlay as he has campaigned for Leishman in the past and has been photographed alongside him. In 2021 Findlay shared a Paisley Daily Express column of his in which he mentioned Leishman saying it was easier to come out as gay in the 1990s than it was to “come out” as a Tory in the 2000s.
Findlay said: “Great to meet Alec Leishman – fantastic Scottish Tories candidate for Paisley Southeast by-election Alec says ‘coming out’ as Tory in 2020s was tougher than as gay in 1990s.”
He had also said in 2022, with a photo alongside Leishman: “Out in Erskine tonight with Scottish Tory candidate Alec Leishman. Vote for Alec on May 5 for a councillor who will prioritise your local concerns – not the SNP’s.”
Leishman said: “I am delighted to be joining Scotland’s fastest growing political movement, Reform UK, as its newest Councillor representing Erskine and Inchinnan Ward on Renfrewshire Council.”
“Scotland badly needs change. The SNP have failed our country with their narrow-minded obsession with independence but, both Labour and the Conservatives have enabled them in their policy support in Holyrood. From Net Zero madness to woke gender ideology and policing free speech, the Holyrood bubble is proving how completely detached it is from Scotland’s communities.”
“Reform UK is the new kids on the block but has an energised membership with real vision and leadership needed to break the endless cycle of decline that our country faces. I look forward to playing my role in creating a better Scotland were hard work pays, taxes are lower, schools are thriving, and local councils are once again at the heart of our community.”
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