Glasgow councillor Thomas Kerr has defected from the Scottish Tories to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Kerr, who represents the Shettleston ward, is understood to have joined the right-wing party earlier this week and has since updated his social media accounts with the news.
He led the Conservative group at Glasgow City Council and stood against Labour’s energy minister Michael Shanks in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election in 2023 – which he lost.
It comes as a new poll found Reform in line to return 15 MSPs at the Holyrood election, tied with the Tories.
Kerr said: “Joining Reform UK is a significant turning point for me. My own experiences with addiction, losing my father and watching my mother recover, have shaped my desire to make real, lasting change. I am committed to ensuring that every person in Scotland who is struggling with addiction has access to the support and recovery services they need to rebuild their lives.
“Reform UK represents the change our communities desperately need, and I’m excited to continue my work for Shettleston with this dynamic new party.”
Join Glasgow Live’s WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Sign up to our daily Glasgow Live newsletter here to receive news and features direct to your inbox