Joe McGurk, a former SNP candidate who later defected to the Scottish Conservatives, has been appointed as deputy chief of staff for Reform UK at the Scottish Parliament. The move marks the latest twist in a political career that has seen him shift allegiances multiple times.
McGurk's New Role and Background
McGurk announced his new position in a LinkedIn post last week, describing himself as a “political and public affairs professional with a track record of driving change.” He said he looks forward to “challenging the cosy consensus, holding the Scottish Government to account and ensuring the voices of those demanding change are heard.”
However, one Holyrood source dismissed him as an “opportunist,” highlighting his history of switching parties. In 2016, as an independence supporter, McGurk was quoted in the Sunday Mail defending Nicola Sturgeon’s government, stating: “The SNP have had to make some tough choices but I think they have done very well with what they have been given.”
From SNP to Tories
McGurk stood for the SNP in the 2017 local elections in Dumfries and Galloway, finishing seventh out of nine candidates in the Lochar ward. He later abandoned independence for the Union by joining the Conservatives. In a 2024 article for Conservative Home, he explained his ideological shift, writing: “I used to be a staunch supporter of the Scottish National Party (SNP), believing that they were the party that could best represent the interests of Scotland... However, as time went on, I began to see that the SNP was taking its membership and the wider Scottish public for granted.”
At the time, he passionately endorsed the Tories, saying: “That is why on July 4th it is more important than ever to vote Conservative in every part of the UK. For me, The Scottish Conservatives are the only viable option and a real alternative to take Scotland forward more strongly and positively.”
Joining Reform UK
After the Tories lost the 2024 general election and with the party under Kemi Badenoch in decline, McGurk left to join Reform UK. A Scottish Tory source commented: “Reform are clearly desperate if they’re bringing this serial defector onto the books. Like most of their MSPs and staff, if you don’t like their principles, they have others.”
One Parliament insider likened McGurk’s political journey to that of former SNP MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, who has also been in Labour, the Tories, and Alba.
