'Disillusioned' former Fife Labour councillor joins Nigel Farage's Reform

A “disillusioned” former Fife Labour councillor has announced that she will join Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party on Wednesday.

Over a year ago, Julie MacDougall said she resigned from the Labour Party because she was “disillusioned and disappointed”.

The Burntisland, Kinghorn and Western Kirkcaldy councillor has been sitting as an independent.

On Wednesday, she announced that she had joined Reform UK.

“I want to be a part of more authentic, grown-up, honest politics with a common-sense approach without all the rhetoric nonsense, and deliver the best for the people of Fife,” MacDougall said.

Reform UK Scotland was “delighted” to welcome her to the party.

“Julie MacDougall is a hardworking Fife councillor having previously been elected for Labour, she is the daughter of former Fife Labour MP John MacDougall,” a spokesperson said on X.

“Julie is a fantastic local champion and a great addition to Team Reform.”

MacDougall quit Labour last June amid the UK general election campaign.

After the party decided to “parachute” Melanie Ward in as the candidate for the Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy seat, MacDougall claimed that she couldn’t support the direction the party had taken.

On Wednesday, she said she made her decision after “a lot of research, thought, discussion, meetings and soul searching”.

“I have chosen to join Reform as I know that my values are most truly aligned to this party than any other,” MacDougall said.

“I can only do so much on my own as an independent councillor.”

MacDougall was elected to represent the Burntisland, Kinghorn and Western Kirkcaldy ward in May 2022.

She followed in the footsteps of her late father, John MacDougall, who was a former Rosyth Dockyard worker, Fife Labour MP and leader of Fife Council.