Scotland (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Former Tory peer Lord Malcolm Offord defects to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, announcing Holyrood election run, aiming to restore Scotland’s prosperity.
As reported by The Independent, ex-Tory peer Lord Malcolm Offord has joined Reform UK, marking a high-profile defection in Scottish politics.
What are Lord Offord’s plans after joining Reform UK for Holyrood?
At a Falkirk rally, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage announced Lord Malcolm Offord as the party’s newest defector.
The Scottish financier, once a Scotland Office minister under the last Conservative government, also served as Scottish Tories’ treasurer when he defected.
Commenting on the recent defection, Mr Farage said he was “delighted” to welcome Lord Offord, describing his defection as “a brave and historic act.”
He added,
“He will take Reform UK Scotland to a new level.”
Speaking publicly, Lord Offord announced his intention to contest the Scottish Parliament elections this May.
He confirmed he would leave the House of Lords as he campaigns for Holyrood, vowing to restore Scotland to “a prosperous, happy, and healthy country.”
Lord Offord told the rally,
“Scotland needs Reform and Reform is coming to Scotland. Today I can announce that I am resigning from the Conservative Party. Today I am joining Reform UK and today I announce my intention to stand for Reform in the Holyrood election in May next year.”
He said,
“And that means that from today, for the next five months, day and night, I shall be campaigning with all of you tirelessly for two objectives.”
The former minister added,
“The first objective is to remove this rotten SNP government after 18 years, and the second is to present a positive vision for Scotland inside the UK, to restore Scotland to being a prosperous, proud, healthy and happy country.”
The Greenock-born businessman was appointed a life peer in 2021 by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and served as exports minister from 2023 until June 2024. He had contributed almost £150,000 to the party.
After receiving his peerage, he was titled Baron Offord of Garvel. He became Reform UK’s latest notable Scottish defector, following Scottish Tory MSP Graham Simpson and several local councillors.
Lord Offord slammed his former party, claiming it had “given up on Scotland.”
Sharing his past experiences with the Scottish Conservatives, the ex-minister added,
“What I found, quite candidly, is a party which is regional not national, parochial not political, timid not ambitious; a party without a vision of how to govern Scotland with a right-of-centre agenda.”
Who are the key speakers at the Reform UK Falkirk rally?
The event, named “Scotland Needs Reform,” was a sold-out rally held at the Macdonald Inchyra Hotel and Spa in Falkirk on Saturday, December 6, 2025.
The key speakers at the Reform UK Falkirk rally are:
- Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, unveiled Lord Offord’s defection and served as the headline speaker.
- Lord Malcolm Offord, former Scottish Conservative treasurer, announced his switch to Reform UK and plans to contest the 2026 Holyrood elections.
- Dr David Bull, Reform UK chairman, revealed the creation of a Reform UK tartan for Scottish branding.
The rally was part of Reform UK’s campaign launch for the upcoming Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) elections. Falkirk was chosen as the location, as it has been the site of regular protests concerning immigration, a central theme in Reform UK’s platform.
In the May 2025 UK local elections, Reform UK won 677 seats, Labour secured 6,177 seats (net loss of ~200), and Conservatives took 4,403 seats (net loss of ~1,200) across 1,641 contested seats in 23 councils.
