Ex-Aberdeen South MP dumps Reform in bitter election feud

Former Aberdeen South MP Ross Thomson has quit Reform UK after he was barred from contesting an upcoming Peterhead council by-election for the party.

The ex-Tory defected last year but told The Press and Journal he has now given up his membership less than 12 months later.

Mr Thomson claimed he left ahead of the Aberdeen South Westminster by-election because Reform had failed to properly support the oil and gas industry.

The former Conservative MP says voters in the constituency should instead back Tory candidate Douglas Lumsden to stop the SNP.

Mr Thomson does not think Mr Farage’s party is giving enough attention to the Aberdeen South contest on June 18.

The P&J has seen evidence which suggests senior Reform officials are highly focused on fighting Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham in Makerfield as top priority.

But Reform insiders dispute Mr Thomson’s reasons for leaving entirely.

They say he has instead quit because he was not selected to contest an Aberdeenshire Council by-election set to take place on July 2.

Party sources say Mr Thomson wanted to be the Reform candidate in Peterhead South and Cruden but failed vetting.

Insiders claim he even threatened to run as an independent candidate in the ward.

Mr Thomson told The P&J he officially left Reform just 24 hours ago, knowing he planned to endorse North East MSP Mr Lumsden in Aberdeen South.

‘Honourable thing’

“When I decided I wanted to do this, it genuinely felt like the most honourable thing to do would be to cancel my membership,” he said.

He believes only the SNP or Tories can win the by-election next month.

“You don’t have to be Professor John Curtice to understand it,” he told The P&J, referring to one of Scotland’s most prominent election analysts.

“The choice is really stark.

“I’m trying to do the right thing for the area.

“It’s too important.

“This is a referendum on the future of the oil and gas industry.”

Mr Thomson wrote a letter to The Press and Journal outlining his reasons in full.

He is particularly angry at Reform for refusing to back Tory calls in Westminster to overturn Labour’s ban on North Sea drilling.

‘Deeply disappointing’

“I joined Reform UK in April last year and was campaigning for Reform candidates across the north-east at the recent Holyrood election,” Mr Thomson said.

“However, as I believe in being honest with voters, Reform are not seriously targeting Aberdeen South in this by-election, with their resources and attention focused almost entirely on Makerfield.

“That is deeply disappointing given the national importance of this by-election and what it means for the future of the North Sea oil and gas industry.

“What matters more, however, is that when it really counted, Reform failed to vote in support of continued drilling in the North Sea and to protect skilled oil and gas jobs when given the opportunity to do so in the House of Commons.

“Whether the motion before parliament was tabled by the Conservatives or any other party is beside the point.

“If saving the oil and gas industry is genuinely a priority, and not just empty sloganeering, then parties should be prepared to work together in the national interest.”

Sources previously indicated Mr Thomson was blocked for standing as a Reform candidate at the Holyrood election.

Reform denied this at the time.

Mr Thomson said his exit was absolutely not linked to those claims.

“I decided that I did not want to go back to Holyrood,” he told The P&J.

“I know about briefings, I get that, it’s part of the game.

“If it was sour grapes, why was I campaigning in the Holyrood election?

“I helped candidates here proactively.”

Mr Lumsden welcomed his ex-Conservative colleague’s endorsement.

“He’s spot on,” Mr Lumsden told The P&J.

“People need to unite behind myself to beat the SNP and Labour.”

A Reform UK spokesperson said: “We wish Ross well, but would remind people that up until very recently Mr Thomson hoped to stand for Reform.

“We can’t help if our vetting was so stringent that he did not pass.”

“As for the Tories, this is a party which introduced the energy profits levy which has sacked thousands of workers and investment.

“Folks won’t be so forgiving for the wolves in sheep’s clothing that are now promising to fix the mess they themselves created.”

[Source: Press and Journal]