Exclusive: Huntly councillor becomes SIXTH Aberdeenshire Tory to join Reform

Press and Journal

12-06-2025

A Huntly councillor has become the SIXTH Tory in Aberdeenshire to join Reform as momentum continues to build for Nigel Farage's party.
Lauren Knight became the latest Conservative in the north-east to make the switch just hours after leader Russell Findlay branded defectors 'opportunists'.
Ms Knight said she believes the Conservative Party has 'left her' and she 'feels let down by so many broken promises'.
'I am honoured to have joined Reform UK', she exclusively told The Press and Journal.
Ms Knight, who represents the Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford ward, previously battled Aberdeenshire Council over a deferral for her premature son starting school.
Her son, Henry, was born three months early and spent five months fighting to survive in the neonatal unit while he was unable to breathe by himself.
Ms Knight, who lives in Forgue, said: 'As the mother of a child with additional support needs, I have experienced firsthand the challenges families face when navigating a system that too often overlooks the most vulnerable.'
Speaking to the P&J, the Aberdeenshire mum said local cuts to additional support needs services passed by the ruling Tory-led administration influenced her defection.
Ms Knight felt she was unable to speak out against her own party on the topic.
'It wasn't an environment where you could have a voice,' she said.
Ms Knight said she was 'sad' to leave behind some Tory colleagues, but said many of her allies were the councillors who had already left the party.
She told the P&J: ' I realised of the people I aligned with and was friends with have all decided to move to Reform.'
Her defection to Reform represents another blow for the Tories in a region where they are losing multiple councillors.
Former Aberdeenshire council chief Mark Findlater and Mearns councillor Laurie Carnie became the first to join Reform in Scotland last year.
Ellon councillor John Crawley and Dominic Lonchay, who represents East Garioch, later followed them over to Mr Farage's party.
Robbie Withey, another councillor in Ms Knight's Huntly ward, continues to sit as an independent but has joined Reform.
John Cox, a former SNP councillor, has also signed up to Reform UK – but also still sits as an independent.
And Aberdeen councillor Duncan Massey announced his defection from the Tories last week when Mr Farage visited the city.
The defection comes one day after Scottish Tory chief Mr Findlay exclusively told the P&J he 'despairs' at councillors leaving his party for Reform and believes they will later regret it.
'Some of them you know personally and you know their politics – you're left to conclude they're doing so because it's complete opportunism,' he said on our weekly politics podcast, The Stooshie.
He added: 'A lot of our members are very angry at those who defect.
'Those who defect are only in the post they're in because of the fact they were wearing a Tory blue rosette.
'I just feel disappointed. I suspect what we'll see is some regret.'
Reform councillor Thomas Kerr welcomed Ms Knight to the party.
'Lauren Knight brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to Reform UK,' he said.
A Scottish Tory spokesperson said: 'Under Russell Findlay, we're reconnecting with common sense conservative values of enterprise, self-reliance, fiscal responsibility and the rule of law.
'Every poll shows that Reform will only help the SNP.
'As we saw in last year's general election, they handed several seats to the SNP which would have otherwise gone to a pro-UK party.
'Reform are likely to stand pro-independence candidates in the 2026 election and Nigel Farage has even said he's not worried about the SNP getting another five years in power.'