A FORMER Scottish Labour councillor who quit the party in protest over the “autocratic manner” of “parachuting” a candidate in her area has joined Reform UK.
Julie MacDougall, who previously sat as an independent councillor for Fife Council after she quit Labour, revealed on Wednesday that she has joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
MacDougall, who represents the Kinghorn and Burntisland area, quit the Labour Party last year after she claimed she was blocked from becoming a General Election candidate in favour of the London-based Melanie Ward to contest the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency.
The now-Reform UK councillor is the daughter of the late John MacDougall, who was an ally of Gordon Brown and served as a Labour MP for Glenrothes from 2001 until his death in 2008.
Announcing that she had joined Reform UK, MacDougall said she wanted a more “grown up” and “authentic” politics.
She said: “I will always do my best to help and improve people’s lives. That’s where my passion has always lay, with you, my community.
“After thoughtful consultation I am delighted to join Reform UK to become part of a team who want to deliver real change for our communities.
“I want more grown up, authentic politics and an opportunity to work together to offer better. I look forward to this exciting new chapter and I remain fully committed to serving the people of Fife as always with my full commitment, honesty and integrity.”
MacDougall previously blasted her former colleagues in the Labour Party for selecting Ward, who ultimately won the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat, for “imposing” parachute candidates on voters.
At the time she said: “It is no secret that candidates are being imposed on members and constituents in a non-democratic, autocratic manner which I simply cannot support.
“Our local area is being denied the opportunity to have a local candidate and in my opinion this is not acceptable.”
MacDougall was elected to represent the Burntisland, Kinghorn and Western Kirkcaldy ward in May 2022.
Her father was the former leader of Fife Council along with being an MP for Labour and was also a Rosyth Dockyard worker.
“I know he would have been thoroughly disappointed at what has been happening, particularly here in Fife,” MacDougall said.
“I have lost faith in the Labour Party and do not believe it is practising what it preaches while upholding its core values.”
