The Scottish Conservatives lost one of their most prominent MSPs as Jamie Greene walked out, accusing the party of veering into dangerous territory. Within hours, he resurfaced at the Liberal Democrat conference with a yellow badge on his chest.
A sharp turn: From Tory blue to Lib Dem yellow
Jamie Greene didn’t hold back. Just 48 hours after resigning from the Scottish Conservatives, the West of Scotland MSP appeared at the Scottish Lib Dem conference in Inverness grinning ear to ear, flanked by party leader Alex Cole-Hamilton and UK Lib Dem boss Ed Davey.
His decision wasn’t some quiet political shift behind closed doors — it was loud, public, and stung the party he left behind.
In a blistering resignation letter sent to Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay, Greene said the party had morphed into something “Trump-esque in both style and substance.” A line like that doesn’t just burn bridges — it sets fire to the whole damn crossing.
Greene finds a new political home
The applause that welcomed Greene to the Lib Dem stage sounded like relief — for him, and maybe for some in the room too.
“This feels like a breath of fresh air,” he told the crowd, calling the reception “incredible” and even taking a swipe at his old party’s turnout. “Double the size,” he joked, prompting laughs from the Lib Dem faithful.
Greene said he’d felt politically homeless — a feeling he believes is shared by many Scots. But now, he says, he’s found a place where decency and tolerance still matter.
One sentence stood out:
“I know my journey here was slow, but it’s the destination that matters.”
His pitch wasn’t just about where he is now — it was an invitation to others like him.
A message for moderate Conservatives
There was no love lost in Greene’s speech toward his former party. But this wasn’t just about bitterness or betrayal. It was about a warning — and a call.
He reached out directly to what he called “compassionate, centre-right Tories,” a group he said is being pushed out by an increasingly culture war-obsessed agenda. He didn’t mince words.
He called the current political tone “dangerous.”
He slammed the language of hatred and scapegoating.
He said right-wing populism must be defeated — not just debated, but fought and defeated outright.
That’s a pretty serious escalation for someone who was once a frontbench figure for the Scottish Tories.
Lib Dems score symbolic win at a crucial moment
For the Scottish Lib Dems, the timing couldn’t be sweeter.
They’ve struggled for visibility in a political landscape dominated by SNP vs Labour vs Conservative brawls. But Greene’s defection hands them something they haven’t had in a while — a headline.
And not just any headline. This one paints them as a centrist refuge, a safe landing spot for disillusioned moderates.
Alex Cole-Hamilton certainly knew the value of the moment. He called Greene an “effective communicator” and said his values were in “symmetry” with the party.
Here’s how this could play out in real terms:
-
Greene brings name recognition and media attention.
-
His presence could attract disillusioned Tory voters — or even voters tired of the SNP vs Tory culture war.
-
The Lib Dems now have momentum to pitch themselves as the voice of moderation.
A Tory split quietly brewing?
Greene’s departure didn’t come out of nowhere.
Behind the scenes, the Scottish Conservative Party has been simmering. Some members have grown uncomfortable with a tone they see as imported straight from Nigel Farage’s playbook — brash, combative, often focused more on culture wars than Scottish policy.
Greene’s letter said it out loud.
But is this a one-off move? Or the beginning of something bigger?
Let’s break it down in a simple table:
| Potential Impact Area | Immediate Effect | Long-Term Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Scottish Conservatives | Embarrassment, negative press | Risk of more defections |
| Scottish Liberal Democrats | Media attention, morale boost | May gain centre-right soft Tories |
| Scottish Parliament | Possible recalibration of Lib Dem stance | Slight shift in cross-party dynamics |
| Voter sentiment | May resonate with moderate voters | Depends on Lib Dem follow-through |
Greene’s move may not bring a flood of defectors — yet. But it’s a signal that all is not well in the Scottish Tory camp.
The rhetoric that pushed him out
One of the most striking parts of Greene’s speech was how deeply personal it felt.
He didn’t just criticize policy. He criticized tone, values, and the very soul of his former party.
Greene said:
“We need to bring back some decency, some tolerance and some much needed respect back into Scottish politics.”
It wasn’t just about the direction of the Scottish Tories — it was about the kind of politics Scotland deserves.
He’s clearly tired of the shouting, the scapegoating, the picking of fights for headlines.
And he’s not the only one.
Where this leaves everyone else
The SNP’s been bleeding support post-Sturgeon. Labour’s trying to claw back relevance in Scotland. Reform UK is chipping away at working-class voters. And now, the Lib Dems — usually a side note — suddenly have a real talking point.
The defection creates a few interesting angles:
-
Scottish Labour may need to rethink how it courts centre-right swing voters who don’t want to go full Tory.
-
SNP might see a new threat to their anti-Tory message if the Lib Dems become a viable anti-populist platform.
-
Reform UK, rising fast in parts of Scotland, may become the next punching bag for Lib Dems trying to hold that centre line.
One sentence.
Politics in Scotland just got a little more unpredictable.
