Bland leaves Reform UK, making Labour second at Holyrood

Amanda Bland has resigned from Reform UK and will continue as an independent MSP, leaving the party with 16 seats at Holyrood and Labour as the second-largest party with 17. The Scottish Parliament said Bland notified the Presiding Officer that she had left the party with immediate effect. It said she would remain an independent member and gave no reason for her resignation. Reform UK Scotland confirmed her departure and urged her to resign her regional seat, saying the next candidate on its list should represent constituents instead. Bland was elected as a regional MSP for Central Scotland and Lothians West after standing in the Falkirk East and Linlithgow constituency in May. Reform and Labour had each won 17 seats in the election. Her move leaves Reform in third place in the Parliament. The shift changes the balance of party representation at Holyrood, though Bland’s decision to leave Reform does not itself remove her from her seat. If she resigns as an MSP, the seat would go to the next Reform candidate on the regional list, according to the party’s statement. Reform has not announced that she will do so. One report, citing a person familiar with the situation, said Bland...