A SCOTTISH Tory MSP has quit the party – blasting it for engaging in a “grotesque dance” with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party and for becoming “Trump-esque in both style and substance”.
Jamie Greene, a regional MSP for the West of Scotland, announced his decision to resign the Scottish Tory whip in a letter to party leader Russell Findlay this morning.
West of Scotland MSP Jamie Greene has decided to quit the Scottish Conservatives[/caption]
Mr Greene said “I believe that the party has left me” as he voiced his disappointment over its direction of travel[/caption]
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay wished Mr Greene well but said he will continue to oppose the SNP’s “dangerous agenda”[/caption]
It is the latest blow to the chief who is facing the prospect of Reform UK overtaking the Scottish Tories in the polls.
Mr Greene however blasted the party’s rightwards shift as it attempts to shake off the threat of Mr Farage.
He said: “I joined the Conservatives as a One Nation Conservative and have always served as a One Nation Conservative, but many of us now wonder, what has become of that party? Where has it gone?
“Chasing the votes of Reform Party supporters will never see the Scottish Conservatives in government; there simply aren’t enough fringe right-wing Scottish voters to achieve that.
“I do not believe that I have left the Conservative Party. I believe that the party has left me.”
Scottish Tory insiders pointed the fact Mr Greene faced losing a selection battle and could have faced deselection by his local Ayrshire party.
But in his letter, Mr Greene blasted: “I cannot be part of a narrative which has become Trump-esque in both style and substance.
“I hope my departure may come as a source of regret to many in the party, if not now, perhaps one day in the future, when, as night follows day, the party comes to understand that Scottish elections are won in the centre ground, not on the right-wing fringes in a grotesque dance with Nigel Farage.”
Mr Greene also blasted the Scottish Tories for following a “Reform-lite agenda”, claiming that it appeals to the “worst of our society, and not the best”.
The MSP, who was one of only a couple of Scottish Tories who backed the SNP’s controversial gender self-ID reforms, criticised the party’s stance on LGBT and equality issues.
He said: “Instead of proudly leading on equality, we now run the very serious and immediate risk of becoming once again the party of social division and morality wars. A cursory glance at our social media output confirms this fear.
“My generation of Conservative politician helped put the Nasty Party name in the bin, but it now appears that it was just filed away in a drawer marked pending.
He also raised the prospect of other Scottish Tories following him out of the party, stating: “I am not alone in feeling this way, although I am perhaps one of the first to say so publicly.”
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “On a personal level, losing any colleague is disappointing and I wish Jamie well.
“But when I was elected, I promised to take the party in a new direction and said that we needed to be different.
“I promised change and I keep my promises, so I will keep standing up for the common-sense values of mainstream Scotland and opposing the damage caused by Holyrood’s left-wing consensus.
“I’ll continue taking a strong stance against the SNP on tax, gender self-identification, and the damage they’ve done to Scotland’s schools.
“Others may believe it’s best to let the SNP have their way. I will always oppose their dangerous agenda and put forward a proud conservative vision of a different Scotland.”
Mr Greene was an unsuccessful leadership challenger against Mr Findlay last year in the race sparked by Douglas Ross’ resignation in the middle of the General Election.
However, he has been on the fringes of the party for several years due to his backing of transgender rights.
He will now sit as an independent until the end of the parliamentary term at the 2026 Holyrood election next May.
