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Scottish Tory resigns whip branding party ‘Reform-lite’
Scottish Conservative Jamie Greene at the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh, June 23, 2021

A TORY MSP has quit the party he says has pinned its hopes on a “Trump-esque narrative and a Reform-lite agenda.”

Jamie Greene dropped his resignation bombshell this morning, writing to Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay to tell him the party he joined “simply no longer exists.”

“During the leadership election last year, I warned that we were giving up on the next generation of young Scots,” he wrote.

“I warned that we were deserting the middle ground. Instead, the party now rests its hopes on a Reform-lite agenda that appeals to the worst of our society, and not the best.

“Instead of proudly leading on equality, we now run the very serious and immediate risk of becoming once again the party of social division and morality wars.”

He added: “I do not believe that I have left the Conservative Party. I believe that the party has left me.

“I cannot be part of a narrative which has become Trump-esque in both style and substance.”

Mr Russell called the decision “disappointing,” but insisted: “When I was elected, I promised to take the party in a new direction and said that we needed to be different.

“I promised change and I keep my promises, so I will keep standing up for the common-sense values of mainstream Scotland and opposing the damage caused by Holyrood’s left-wing consensus.”

Commending Mr Greene’s honesty, Scottish Green Co-Leader Patrick Harvie said: “Jamie is a Conservative, and I’m sure that we will continue to disagree about many fundamental issues.

“But as the Tory Party abandons decency, abandons human rights, abandons climate action and embraces the values of the far right, I welcome the fact that those who want a less extremist form of politics are starting to speak up.”

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