Nigel Farage’s No2 forgot the surnames of two Reform UK defectors – at an event to unveil them.
Richard Tice bungled during a photocall at a Glasgow chippy with councillors John Gray and Ross Lambie, who have both jumped ship from the Tories.
The Reform UK MP referred to them as “John and Ross”, but when pressed by a journalist to name the pair – or what councils they represented – MP Mr Tice appeared stumped and said: “I’m answering policy questions. “
Mr Tice then proceeded to repeat the answer “John and Ross” and said: “Next question!”
The photocall took place at Glasgow’s famous Val D’Oro fish and chip shop, amid a surge in the polls for Reform UK – who have climbed from one per cent support in Scotland to around 15 per cent in the past year.
But polling experts have said their rise is eating into Labour and Tory support – potentially paving the way for the SNP to cling on to power at the 2026 Holyrood election.
Renfrewshire councillor Mr Gray and South Lanarkshire councillor Mr Lambie posed for a snap with Mr Tice outside the chippy, in Townhead, just minutes after the surname gaffe from the Reform MP.
Their switch brings the total number of office holders for the party in Scotland to eight councillors, despite having no MPs or MSPs elected here.
Asked why he believes support for Reform is growing north of the border, Mr Tice said: “People are sick and tired of getting poorer under the SNP, essentially financially poorer, but also the health system is getting worse.
“Likewise the education system is getting worse, and I think people are saying, ‘do you know what, you folks, you’ve had your go, you’ve blown it, you’ve messed up, let’s give these other people a go.”
Mr Tice, who knocked back the opportunity to eat a chip despite the encouragement of eager photographers outside the chippy, also suggested opposition parties at Holyrood are “terrified” of Reform ahead of the 2026 vote.
He said: “I think the good people of Scotland are realising that they’re being conned, they’re being lied to, they’re being misled, and it’s an outrage, and we’re going to take them on.”
Quizzed on First Minister John Swinney’s plans to host a cross-party summit aimed at combating the far-right, Mr Tice said: “He’s clearly terrified and he’s creating a coalition of the terrified and throwing around juvenile smears.”
Speaking after First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay claimed that anyone switching to Reform “only emboldens” John Swinney and the SNP.
He added: “I’m wholly committed to holding the SNP government to account and every single vote for Reform is only going to benefit the SNP.”
