Reform Scotland is under scrutiny after a senior campaign role was filled by the partner of one of its leading Glasgow candidates — a move that critics say looks like favouritism as the party heads into the Holyrood election. With internal tensions already reported and several candidates having withdrawn, the appointment is fuelling fresh questions about management and transparency at a precarious moment for the party.
At the centre of the debate is Thomas Kerr, Reform’s top regional list hopeful in Glasgow, who has defended the decision to bring his partner, Aimee Alexander, into the party’s media operations. Kerr told reporters in the Cranhill area he did not believe internal disputes would affect voters and insisted there was no impropriety.
What the party says — and what opponents claim
Senior Reform figures have said Ms Alexander is assisting with press activity after the sudden resignation of the party’s Scotland press officer, who recently left amid reported disputes over how the role could be carried out.
A source inside the party described the move as bordering on “cronyism”, arguing that appointing a candidate’s partner to handle communications risks undermining public confidence. Reform counters that the change was a practical response to an unforeseen vacancy and that Ms Alexander — who has a background in media and public relations — volunteered to help while a replacement is found.
- Who: Thomas Kerr — Reform’s lead regional candidate in Glasgow; Aimee Alexander — campaign apprentice and candidate, now assisting press work.
- Trigger: Resignation of the previous Scotland press officer, reported to have been over limitations on carrying out duties.
- Allegation: Critics call the appointment improper given the personal relationship between Kerr and Alexander.
- Party response: Reform says Alexander is temporarily supporting communications while the campaign recruits a full-time replacement.
Kerr said Ms Alexander began working with the campaign in January as an apprentice and later moved into an assistant communications role after deciding to stand for election herself. He emphasised she had applied for communications work and has relevant qualifications in media and PR.
“She’s been helping since the vacancy,” he said, dismissing suggestions of favouritism and framing the arrangement as a stopgap while the party fills the position more permanently.
Why this matters now
The issue has quicker political resonance because Kerr is expected to take a seat at Holyrood if Reform wins the regional list vote in Glasgow. Any perception of nepotism could damage the party’s credibility at the moment voters are weighing leadership and competence.
Reform’s Scottish campaign has already been hit by a series of setbacks: several candidates have withdrawn since the campaign began, and there are public questions about the performance of Malcolm Offord, the party’s Scottish leader. That wider instability makes the optics of this staffing change more consequential than it might otherwise be.
Offord issued a statement saying the campaign was mobilising all available resources and thanking Ms Alexander for pitching in after the unexpected vacancy. He characterised her involvement as temporary support while a replacement is sought.
For opponents and some party insiders, however, the episode underlines deeper organisational strains and raises a simple question for voters: can a campaign that appears internally unsettled run an effective government?
Observers say the controversy could be damaging if it reinforces narratives about poor management and lack of transparency — issues that can be decisive in tight contests where trust matters as much as policy.
Hi, I’m Benjamin, a member of the Sherburne County Citizen team. With a passion for writing and a deep interest in current affairs, I thoroughly enjoy bringing you the latest news and trends that affect our daily lives.
