TRUE TO REFORM

Leader scores spectacular own goal as he hails Simpson as party's first MSP.. only to be told of Ballantyne Tories insist they won't miss turncoat and Labour say he's no household name

- BY PAUL HUTCHEON

NIGEL Farage's trip to Scotland has been derailed over claims his newest recruit bullied a young female staffer.

MSP Graham Simpson was paraded as a Tory defector to Reform UK but was forced to reject allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

It came during a car crash press conference where Farage denied having a "women problem" while forgetting Reform's first-ever MSP was female.

Farage staged a media event in a West Lothian hotel with the promise of a "special" announcement. The big reveal was Simpson, a Central Scotland MSP, jumping ship to Farage's right-wing anti-immigration party.

But the pair were left squirming when a journalist read out allegations from a Tory source: "Graham Simpson is a pathetic nasty little man who won't be missed. Just last year, he had to apologise to a young female member of staff for acting in a totally inappropriate, bullying and intimidating way towards her.

"The way he spoke to her was so bad that he was forced to sit down and say sorry in person. He'll be more trouble than he's worth for Reform."

Simpson responded: "That's the kind of nastiness I was alluding to earlier. They have come out the traps sooner than I thought."

Asked if the claims are true, he said. "Absolutely untrue. Anything internally will be dealt with internally. And that's the way I will leave it. I certainly don't have a problem with women." He told another journalist hed "ignore" the claims.