A NORTH Ayrshire councillor has defected to Reform UK, Nigel Farage's party has announced.
Todd Ferguson, who has represented the North Coast ward since May 2022, quit the Conservatives in July, and was sitting as an independent.
When he resigned from the Tories, Ferguson said the party had lost all "moral authority".
Now, it has been announced he's joining Reform, becoming the 19th councillor to defect so far.
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"Delighted to welcome @ToddFergusonNAA to Reform UK," the party wrote on social media.
Reform MSP Graham Simpson, who defected from the Tories a few months ago, added: "Todd will be a great addition to the team."
Commenting, Ferguson said: “Having served as a councillor for eight years, I’ve seen a lot of changes in our political landscape, and I believe this is an exciting time for a new direction in Scotland.
“Reform UK is the only party that truly focuses on the real priorities of people here, from immigration and housing to the economy and public services. I’m passionate about putting our communities first and ensuring that these key issues are addressed effectively.
“Together, we can bring about the positive change that Scotland needs. Scotland needs Reform.”
Thomas Kerr, a Reform councillor in Glasgow and the party’s campaign chair for Holyrood 2026, added: “Todd Ferguson has been a good friend and colleague of mine for years. His local and national record of standing against divisive nationalist politics is exactly why he’ll be such an asset to Reform.
“This is further evidence that the Scottish Conservatives are finished politically, so much so that Russell Findlay has yet to announce if he is even standing for the area he currently represents.
“The biggest focus of Reform UK is building a positive alternative to this rotten SNP Government with polls now showing it’s a straight fight between us and John Swinney – if we want to kick these chancers out of office and give Scotland the fresh start it needs, only Reform UK can now do that.”
Ferguson quit the Tories earlier this year over what he described as a "cowardly smear campaign" against Central Scotland MSP Meghan Gallacher. He had worked in Gallacher's MSP office.
"This is a party that has lost its way, its moral authority, and its integrity," Ferguson said at the time.
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"It no longer upholds conservative values, it twists them, abandons them, and then talks of ‘common sense’ as if that excuses the rot at its core."
His resignation left the Conservatives with five members on the local authority.
Ferguson joins Ardrossan councillor Stewart Ferguson and Irvine South representative Matthew McLean as Reform councillors for North Ayrshire.
On his Twitter/X page, Ferguson describes himself as a "Scottish Unionist".
His most recent post appears to draw links between sexual assault and immigration levels.
Delighted to welcome @ToddFergusonNAA to Reform UK. pic.twitter.com/yp34X8P0mQ
— Reform UK Scotland (@ReformUKScot) November 3, 2025
"Despite the evidence presented in MoJ data, there remains a persistent reluctance among some individuals to acknowledge or examine the relationship between the rise in sexual assaults and patterns of migration," he wrote.
He also shared a video of US defence secretary Pete Hegseth leading troops in prayer, overlaid with various images of the country's army and air force.
We previously told how the last councillor to defect to Reform in Scotland was Councillor Gavin Ellis, who represents Dunfermline North in Fife.
Ellis became the second councillor in Fife for Reform UK alongside Julie MacDougall.
The party now has councillors in Fife, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, Glasgow, and South Lanarkshire.
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