It was a political moment that sent ripples through Scotland’s corridors of power. On August 27, 2025, Graham Simpson, a Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Central Scotland since 2016, publicly announced his defection to Reform UK. This move, made official at a press conference in Broxburn, West Lothian, marked Simpson as the first Reform UK MSP at Holyrood under the leadership of Nigel Farage—a significant coup for the upstart party and a blow to the already embattled Scottish Conservatives.
Simpson, a former journalist with The Sun and Daily Record, did not mince words about the emotional weight of his decision. “Leaving the party that I first joined when I was 15 is an enormous wrench, and I’ve been through a lot of soul searching in the past few weeks,” he told gathered reporters, as quoted by BBC Scotland News. He explained that while his name had been circulating as a likely defector for months, his reasons were more profound than simple political opportunism. “So today, I’m giving them what they want, but perhaps not for the reasons that they think.”
Simpson’s defection comes at a time of growing turbulence within Scottish Conservatism. He revealed that he’d decided earlier in 2025 not to stand again for the Tories, but only in recent weeks did he choose to join Reform UK. “I’ve joined Reform because we have the chance to create something new, exciting and lasting that puts the needs of people over the system, that asks what is going wrong and how we can fix it,” Simpson said, as reported by The National. He added that he believed Reform could help remove the Scottish National Party (SNP) from office after 19 years in power, a sentiment that resonates with many unionist voters who feel let down by the existing parties.
At the press conference, Simpson stood shoulder to shoulder with Nigel Farage, who declared that Reform UK would have a Scottish leader in place ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election—a direct contradiction to earlier statements from deputy leader Richard Tice, who had suggested a leader would be chosen after the election to avoid internal strife. Farage insisted, “We will, of course, have a leader of our group, who will go in as a leader of our group and be a potential first minister. We are a work in progress, we’re growing. We’re probably an advanced teenager now, we haven’t got to full maturity as a political party.”
Farage, ever the political showman, denied that Reform UK was simply a new incarnation of the Conservatives. He also floated the possibility of deals with other parties, even suggesting he could work with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to keep the SNP out of power. “Mr Sarwar and I don’t necessarily get on that well, but it’s remarkable after an election what mathematics can do,” Farage quipped, according to BBC Scotland News. However, he quickly added, “But anyway, why would Labour beat us next May? We are going to beat them.”
The timing of Simpson’s move is notable, given the changing political landscape in Scotland. Recent polling by the David Hume Institute and Diffley Partnership showed that immigration has surged as a top concern for Scots, now ranking third behind health and the cost-of-living crisis. Just 4% of Scots listed immigration as a top-three issue in May 2023, but by August 2025 that figure had climbed to 21%. This shift comes as Farage and Reform UK have rolled out their hardline “Operation Restoring Justice,” a plan to deport 600,000 migrants over five years if elected, bar small boat arrivals from claiming asylum, and offer £2 billion in aid to countries like Afghanistan to take back migrants. Sanctions could be imposed on nations that refuse cooperation.
Predictably, Simpson’s defection and Reform UK’s policies have drawn fierce criticism from all corners of the Scottish political spectrum. A Scottish Conservative spokesperson told BBC Scotland News, “We remain focused on holding the SNP and Labour to account. The Scottish Conservatives are determined to provide positive common-sense solutions to drive our economy forward, so we can reduce NHS waiting lists and invest more in education. Nigel Farage has said he’s content with another five years of SNP government. We’re going to keep focusing on how to get the Nationalists out of power.”
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie was equally unsparing, stating, “Yet another lifelong Tory has decided to flee their sinking ship in a bid to save their own career, but it will take more than a new rosette to make Scots forget the damage Tories like Graham Simpson have inflicted on our country over the years.” She added, “It’s clear that Reform are simply Tories by another name, but neither party has any answers to the challenges Scotland faces. The next Scottish Parliament election will be a direct choice between a third decade of SNP failure or a new direction with Scottish Labour.”
The SNP’s Màiri McAllan described Farage as “the ultimate symbol of Westminster failure.” She accused him of “promoting ugly, anti-immigrant rhetoric and whipping up hatred against vulnerable people.” According to McAllan, “Scotland needs a fresh start – and the only one that will work for Scotland is independence.”
Scottish Greens MSP Patrick Harvie was even more blunt, calling Simpson’s move “desperate opportunism” and criticizing Reform UK’s plans to deport vulnerable people, which he argued could put them at risk of torture and execution. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton also weighed in, lambasting Farage’s proposal to send billions in aid to the Taliban as “a back of fag packet solution to a small boats crisis that he helped create through Brexit.”
For his part, Simpson acknowledged the backlash he would face. “I’ve no doubt that, initially, my announcement today will spark anger, disappointment and probably some sheer nastiness. I don’t like that aspect of politics and I’m not looking forward to it, but there are many ex-colleagues who will also understand.” He extended an olive branch to those with “great ideas for Scotland” who feel ignored by the current system: “Talk to me, you will find my door – wherever I am put in Parliament next week – open and receptive to the kind of fresh thinking that we need in politics.”
Simpson’s decision to remain in Parliament following his defection—rather than relinquish his seat on the Central Scotland regional list—has also raised eyebrows. He is known for campaigning for recall powers, which would allow constituents to remove their MSPs under certain circumstances. Ironically, some critics argue that switching parties should be grounds for recall, but Simpson insists he is right to stay put on the Holyrood benches.
As the dust settles, questions linger about the future of Scotland’s political landscape. Will Simpson be the last Conservative to cross the floor? Can Reform UK truly emerge as a force capable of challenging the SNP’s long dominance? And what does this mean for the traditional parties, now scrambling to redefine themselves in a rapidly shifting environment?
One thing is certain: with the next Holyrood election looming, Scottish politics is bracing for an era of unprecedented volatility—and, perhaps, opportunity for those bold enough to seize it.
