MSP Jeremy Balfour has resigned from the Scottish Conservatives with immediate effect, saying the party has “fallen into the trap of reactionary politics”.
Mr Balfour, an MSP for the Lothian region, will sit as an independent until the Holyrood election next year.
In his resignation letter to Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay, Mr Balfour said: “I no longer feel that the party has a positive platform to offer the people of Scotland.”
He said he has found there is little interest from the leadership in “genuine policy innovation”, particularly across the social justice and social security portfolio.
Mr Balfour said: “Increasingly, decisions seem to be made by advisers who lack experience, while senior MSP colleagues are ignored.
“I fear that the Scottish Conservatives have fallen into the trap of reactionary politics, where a positive, proactive agenda for real change has been rejected in favour of allowing policies to be dictated by what other parties are saying and cheap headlines.”
Mr Balfour said he intends to continue to represent his constituents in the Lothian region for the remainder of the parliamentary session as an independent MSP.
In his letter, also posted on social media, Mr Balfour said he made the decision to resign with immediate effect with a “heavy heart”.
He has represented the Lothian region since 2016.
He is the second MSP to leave the party in recent months, after Jamie Greene quit the Tories in April and joined the Liberal Democrats.
A Scottish Conservative spokesperson said: “We are disappointed to read these comments but grateful for Jeremy’s service and wish him well.
“The Scottish Conservatives, under Russell Findlay’s leadership, recognise that many people feel completely disconnected from politics.
“It is absolutely critical that our party continues to champion common-sense Conservative values and policies that focus on the issues of concern to hard-working Scots.
“All our members and supporters expect us to work hard to deliver the change that Scotland needs after 18 years of damaging and divisive SNP rule.”
