Labour becomes second-largest party as Reform MSP quits

Summarised from 3 outlets · 5 reports · Updated 19 Oct, 13:38 · Archive

Amanda Bland resigned from Reform UK Scotland to sit as an independent, reducing the party to 16 seats and moving Labour into second place.

Amanda Bland, a Reform UK MSP representing Central Scotland and Lothians West, has resigned from the party to sit as an independent member of the Scottish Parliament.

Bland's decision reduces Reform to 16 seats, moving the party from joint second place into third. Labour, which also held 17 seats following May's election, is now the second-largest group at Holyrood. The SNP remains the largest party with 58 seats.

Reform UK Scotland confirmed Bland's resignation in a statement but did not explain her reasons. A spokesman said she should 'reflect on her reasons for choosing to isolate herself from that team of capable individuals' and called on her to resign as a regional MSP altogether to allow the next Reform candidate on the list to take her place. Under Holyrood rules, if Bland resigned as an MSP, her seat would pass to the party's next candidate from the May election.

Blank, a former primary school teacher and police officer, was among 17 Reform candidates elected in May as the party made its electoral breakthrough in Scotland. She has not yet made a public statement about her departure from the party.

The resignation will have procedural consequences for Reform. The party will lose its second-place position in the order to question First Minister John Swinney at First Minister's Questions every other week, a role that falls to the second-largest group.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie commented on the departure, saying 'no one will be surprised to see chaos at the heart of Reform'.

Labour becomes second-largest party as Reform MSP quits — Image: Daily Mail

Comments (0)

How it is being reported

Reform no longer second-biggest party in Scottish Parliament after MSP quitsReform confirmed that Amanda Bland has resigned the whip and will now sit as an independent.Daily Mail · 19 Oct, 13:33
Labour becomes Holyrood’s second biggest party after Reform MSP resigns whipReform urged Amanda Bland to quit Holyrood altogether to allow another party member to take her place.Evening Standard · 19 Oct, 11:56
Reform MSP quits party to sit as independentAmanda Bland's decision relegates the party to the third-largest group at Holyrood, with one member fewer than Labour.BBC News · 19 Oct, 11:52
Labour becomes Holyrood’s second biggest party after Reform MSP resigns whipReform urged Amanda Bland to quit Holyrood altogether to allow another party member to take her place.Evening Standard · 19 Oct, 11:45
Labour becomes Holyrood’s second biggest party after Reform MSP resigns whipReform urged Amanda Bland to quit Holyrood altogether to allow another party member to take her place.Evening Standard · 19 Oct, 11:36

In this story: Amanda Bland · Reform UK Scotland · Labour · Scottish Parliament · Central Scotland and Lothians West · John Swinney · Jackie Baillie

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem