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Labour Becomes Holyrood’s Second Biggest Party After Reform MSP Resigns Whip
Reform UK loses its first MSP as Amanda Bland leaves the party, which drops behind Labour in Holyrood.
- On Monday, October 19, 2026, MSP Amanda Bland resigned from the Reform Party to sit as an independent at Holyrood, relegating Reform to Scotland's third-largest group.
- Reform and Labour had previously held 17 seats each following the May election at Holyrood; Bland's departure drops Reform to 16 members, one fewer than Labour.
- A Reform spokesperson urged Bland to resign as a regional MSP for Central Scotland and Lothians West, stating she should "reflect on her reasons" for isolating herself from the team.
- The resignation coincides with fresh scrutiny as Police Scotland assesses whether Reform candidates broke spending rules during the May election amid foreign donation claims.
- Elected from the regional list after finishing third in Falkirk East and Linlithgow with 7,906 votes, Bland had previously complained of a "co-ordinated and deeply irresponsible smear campaign" regarding her residency.
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Reform UK MSP quits as Labour becomes second biggest party in blow to Nigel Farage
A Reform UK MSP has resigned the party's whip in the Scottish Parliament in a major blow to Nigel Farage north of the border.Amanda Bland, who was elected to represent voters in Central Scotland & Lothians West, will now sit as an independent in Holyrood. The former primary school teacher is now being urged to resign as an MSP to allow another Reform UK representative to take her seat in the Scottish Parliament. However, Ms Bland remains intent …
·London, United Kingdom
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources22
Leaning Left9Leaning Right4Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution45% Left
Bias Distribution
- 45% of the sources lean Left
45% Left
L 45%
C 35%
R 20%
Factuality
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