Reform wins first council by-election in Scotland

Reform UK has won its first by-election in Scotland.

David McLennan has been elected as a councillor in Whitburn and Blackburn in West Lothian, taking the seat from Scottish Labour.

McLennan received 1,177 votes - 149 over his closest rival, the SNP candidate.

Reform has seen a number of councillor defections and Scottish Conservative MSP Graham Simpson also defected to the party in the summer.

It welcomed the former Scottish Conservative treasurer Lord Offord as a new member last weekend.

McLennan said: "I want to thank the people of Whitburn and Blackburn for putting their trust in me and in Reform.

"This is a clear signal from local residents that they want their community to take a new, positive direction.

"This is a vote of faith in Reform in Scotland. We have all the momentum in Scottish politics."

A series of opinion polls suggest support for Reform has risen considerably in Scotland since before the 2024 general election, with some suggesting it could be vying for second place behind the SNP in next year's Holyrood vote.

McLennan was elected at stage eight of the Whitburn and Blackburn count on a turnout of 22.2%.

It was his second attempt at the ward, first contesting against eventual Labour winner David Russell last November.

On the Reform website, McLennan said he decided to enter politics due to the "sheer unfairness and intolerance" towards landlords from the SNP and Scottish Greens.

McLennan's election comes after Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay clashed with Lord Offord on BBC's Question Time in Paisley on Thursday night.

Following a series of tense exchanges between the two men, Findlay said to Offord: "You sent me a message five weeks ago: 'let's hold the line'. What happened?"

The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn joked "can we get some popcorn", as both men bristled.

Offord started speaking but was looking directly away from Findlay, leading the host Fiona Bruce to say: "You can look at each other".

Findlay said it was "hugely disappointing" when someone defects.

"It happens across all parties and it's not something most loyal party members have time for," he added.

He likened Offord to a Scotland fan who abandoned the team after a bad result.

Offord said he defected because "I don't believe the Conservatives have got any ambition for Scotland."

He added: "I made my frustrations very clear along the way and ultimately you have to follow your convictions."

This is a big moment for Reform UK - a first election win for a party without a Scottish leader, without detailed policies and without a big organisation.

They seem to have surprised themselves.

One insider told me they had hoped for a good second place but it has turned out to be their breakthrough.

That's why this council by-election is significant and merits national coverage that is not normally afforded to these local contests.

All Reform UK's existing politicians in Scotland have been acquired through defections, mainly from the Conservatives.

This win comes as the party tries to build momentum towards the Scottish Parliament elections in May.

The trend in opinion polls suggests they are well placed to pick up Holyrood seats and could become one of the main opposition parties.

They seem to be attracting voters who are fed up with more established parties but they acknowledge that this "scunner" factor can only take them so far.

While they are known for taking a hard line on immigration, party sources say they intend to campaign more heavily on work and the economy.

Their political rivals are struggling to work out how best to counter their rise.

Attempts to ignore them, copy them and brand them extreme have not been obviously effective.

It is widely expected that the former Tory minister Lord Malcolm Offord will be appointed by Nigel Farage to front the party's Scottish campaign early in the New Year.