Defectors motivated by self-interest, says Tory leader Findlay

The Scottish Tory leader has suggested MSPs defecting from his party are motivated by “self-interest”.

Russell Findlay said party members were unhappy at the recent bout of “disloyalty”.

And he called for Holyrood’s proportional list system to be “looked at”. He said it was wrong that MSPs elected on a party list could later defect to another party and still keep their seat.

Mr Findlay has lost three MSPs this year, including Graham Simpson who joined Reform UK, and Jamie Greene who defected to the Liberal Democrats. Jeremy Balfour also quit the party to stand as an independent.

Meanwhile, the party has been seen a wave of defections to Reform from councillors across the country.

Recent polling suggests the Scottish Tories, who are currently Holyrood’s second-largest party, could be pushed into fourth place at the next election by a surging Reform UK.

Appearing on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, from the Tory conference in Manchester, the politician was asked if the defections were a reflection on his leadership.

“No,” he said. “I think a lot of our members – I couldn’t possibly say on broadcast what their views are about those who defect – they are really not all happy about this disloyalty, and they believe that, in the main, these defections are motivated by self-interest.

“I think most people looking at that can see it for what it is.”

Mr Findlay suggested it was unfair that the rules around list voting at Holyrood meant MSPs could change party without facing the electorate, despite having been elected under the party list.

He defended his leadership at the Scottish Tories, saying that other parties had lost MSPs too.

He added: “I think what needs to be looked at is the list system, the proportional system.

“I personally was elected not as a constituency MSP, but as a member of the list, the party list.

“That also applies to those who have defected.

“I think there’s something very far wrong where people who vote for the Scottish Conservative party, or any other party for that matter, and they duly get a representative having voted for them, then lose them to another (party).”

Mr Findlay also gave his backing to UK leader Kemi Badenoch’s position that MPs who disagree with leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) cannot stand as Tory candidates, saying it was “entirely reasonable”.

He called on the UK to leave the treaty which he said has been “abused” by those entering the UK illegally. He added that it was a “block” the Government’s ability to remove people from the country.