Reform MSP accuses opponents of ‘spitting the dummy’ over refusal to work with his party

Reform MSP Graham Simpson has called on opponents to work with his party to stop this session of the parliament being “more divisive” than the last.

SNP leader John Swinney has written to all of Holyrood’s opposition parties – except Reform – calling on them to “put difference aside” in the interests of Scotland.

Speaking on Holyrood’s post-election webinar, Simpson said politicians needed to be a “bit more adult about things”.

He said: “People need to get on. I would hate to think the parliament doesn’t work as it was designed because people are spitting the dummy out.”

Simpson, who defected to Reform from the Scottish Conservatives, said he was “disappointed” after his Recall Bill fell in the last parliament, blaming it on MSPs being unwilling to vote for legislation brought forward by Reform.

He said he had taken part in an election hustings with new Scottish Greens MSP Holly Bruce and thought there should be “more people like her” in parliament.

Simpson said he intended to go out of his way to introduce himself to members of other parties at Holyrood.

But he described a suggestion from Labour MSP Paul Sweeney to set up a cross-party convention on resolving the issue of a second independence referendum as  “wacky”.

“I’m not interested in a referendum,” Simpson said. “I think we need to be talking about public services. I expect Paul will get some pushback from his colleagues in the Labour Party.”

Earlier, Swinney said: “I have been very clear – we will have absolutely nothing to do with Reform UK. They have nothing to offer the people of Scotland; I fundamentally disagree with their values and many of those who have been elected to represent them have expressed reprehensible views.”

Asked whether it was “undemocratic” to exclude Reform from discussions, the SNP’s Ivan McKee said: “We’re perfectly within our rights to decide who we’re willing to work with and who we’re not because of what [Reform] stand for.”

Pollster John Curtice said his advice to new Reform MSPs would be to go on a “charm offensive” in the coming days.