Reform Scotland chief criticises independent MSP’s decision to keep Holyrood seat

Reform UK Scotland leader Lord Malcolm Offord accused Amanda Bland of “squatting” at Holyrood after she quit the party but declined to resign her regional list seat. Her departure leaves Reform third at Holyrood, costing it some parliamentary privileges, though Offord said the change would not derail the party.

Bland said she could continue representing constituents and holding the Scottish Government to account as an independent MSP. Offord contrasted her decision, made only months into the parliamentary term, with Graham Simpson’s move from the Conservatives to Reform when about eight months remained. He also described Holyrood’s atmosphere as poisonous, dismissed a police assessment of alleged spending-rule breaches as relating to administrative errors, and said racist candidates shown in a recent documentary should be rooted out and suspended.