Former Tory MSP advising new Reform group

Former Conservative MSP Maurice Golden has been working for Reform UK as a consultant, despite previously accusing his former party of trying to “out-Reform Reform”.

Golden stepped down from parliament at the election, saying it was a “natural point to pursue new challenges”.

But he had grown increasingly frustrated with the Tory leadership during his time in politics, particularly in relation to climate policies and their move away from net zero.

The former MSP set up his own consultancy firm in May and is now advising the new group of Reform MSPs, despite the party being avowedly anti-net zero.

Golden told The Courier that he was providing “political intelligence” to the party and helping them understand parliamentary processes. He says he is not involve in any of Reform’s political messaging.

He told the newspaper: “My job’s to provide political intelligence to any clients, and Reform’s one of those. I’ve got a number of clients, and they’re one of them.

“I’m really enjoying working for them, and I want them to be effective in the Scottish Parliament.”

Golden announced he would not seek re-election shortly before the Scottish Conservatives refreshed their climate policies, which included ditching its support for reaching net zero by 2045.

In the statement he issued at the time, he said climate change was the “greatest challenge we face” and that his “commitment to tackling climate change has never been stronger”.

Later in 2025, he said in an interview with the Holyrood Sources podcast that the Conservatives were pursuing a more “populist” approach, adding that “hand on heart…I could not stand as a candidate for the Conservatives”.

He continued: “I think it is up to [Tory leader] Russell Findlay to deploy the strategy that he wants. I personally think that the pie is always the biggest in the centre and that is where I would be going. That is the Ruth Davidson era, if you like.

“And Russell has chosen quite a different path to that, using far more populist language, going to the right, trying to out-Reform-Reform. It is a difficult sell on the doorstep.”