New Reform MSP denies bullying female member of Tory staff

Newly-minted Reform MSP Graham Simpson has denied accusations from his former party that he bullied a member of staff.

Within minutes of the announcement that he had left the Scottish Conservatives to join Reform, a source from his former party briefed journalists that there had been a complaint made against him by a female member of staff.

When the accusation was put to him, Mr Simpson said it was “absolutely untrue”.

The Tory source had said: “Graham Simpson is a pathetic, nasty little man who won’t be missed.

“Just last year, he had to apologise to a young female member of staff for acting in a totally inappropriate, bullying and intimidating way towards her.

“The way he spoke to her was so bad that he was forced to sit down and say sorry in person. He’ll be more trouble than he’s worth for Reform.”

Mr Simpson had earlier said he expected his defection to “spark anger, disappointment and probably some sheer nastiness”.

Responding to the accusations at the press conference announcing he was joining Reform, he said: “That’s the kind of nastiness that I was alluding to earlier, they’ve come out of the traps sooner than I thought.”

Asked if the accusation is untrue, he added: “Absolutely untrue.

“Anything internally will be dealt with internally and that’s the way I’ll leave it.

“I certainly don’t have a problem with women.”

Asked by the PA news agency about Mr Simpson’s denial, another Tory source accused him of “lying”.

The source said: “It’s a matter of fact that Graham had to apologise to a young female staffer for his behaviour. He’s lying.”

Following the announcement he would cross the floor to become Reform UK’s sole MSP, Mr Simpson was criticised by other parties at Holyrood.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said he is the latest Tory to “flee their sinking ship in a bid to save their own career”.

She added: “It’s clear that Reform are simply Tories by another name, but neither party has any answers to the challenges Scotland faces.”

Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie described the move as “desperate opportunism” and claimed Reform UK is the “first choice for failed Tory politicians”.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the defection shows the Conservatives are in “freefall”, adding: “I had hoped that the Scottish Liberal Democrats would overtake them at the Scottish election but if this keeps up, we’ll achieve that goal long before then.”