Malcolm Offord - Leader of Reform UK Scotland | Reform Watch

Profile and accountability tracker for Malcolm Offord, Leader of Reform UK Scotland. Reform UK.

Role: Leader of Reform UK Scotland

Party: Reform UK

Malcolm Offord is a Reform UK MSP for West Scotland and leader of the party in Scotland. A former private equity investor, he entered the House of Lords as Baron Offord of Garvel in 2021. He was Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Scotland Office from 4 October 2021 to 29 February 2024 and at the Department for Business and Trade from 24 April 2023 to 5 July 2024. Parliament records his Conservative affiliation ending in December 2025 and his departure from the Lords in January 2026. His former Westminster roles and current Holyrood office belong to the same political career. Sources: https://members.parliament.uk/member/4931/career https://www.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps/malcolm-offord

Recorded incidents (showing 1-3 of 3)

Malcolm Offord leads Reform MSPs in walkout from Holyrood debate

Category: inappropriate behaviour

Malcolm Offord (msp, Inverclyde) led his Reform UK MSPs out of the Holyrood chamber during a debate on Scottish independence after the Presiding Officer refused to cancel the debate. Offord argued the constitution was a reserved matter, withdrew his amendment and led his colleagues in leaving the chamber in protest. Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson criticised the action as a gross discourtesy to members. Offord said the debate was inappropriate and that Reform would not engage further; the motion affirming Scotland's right to decide its future was passed by 84 votes to 18.

Malcolm Offord's charity found to be breaking the law by operating unregistered in Scotland

Category: financial conduct concern

An inquiry by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator found that the Badenoch Trust, a charity founded by Malcolm Offord in 2007, was breaking charity law by not registering in Scotland, and instructed it to register. Offord is one of its two trustees as well as its director and secretary. During the election campaign he had pledged to give his MSP salary to the charity; it is unclear whether this is happening. The inquiry remained open while the trust was given the chance to resolve the breach.

Sources: https://tfn.scot/news/scottish-reform-leaders-charity-is-breaking-the-law-and-must-comply-with-regulator

Offord made homophobic Burns Night joke about George Michael as Reform Scotland leader

Category: offensive

Malcolm Offord, in his role as Reform UK's leader in Scotland, made a homophobic joke about the late singer George Michael during a Burns Night speech in early 2026. The joke was made in front of a public audience during one of the most high-profile events in the Scottish calendar and was aimed at a well-known gay public figure. He later described the remark as "a clumsy mistake". The incident was included in HOPE not hate's 30 April 2026 report "60 Reasons (and Counting) to Not Vote Reform on May 7th" as an example of anti-LGBT conduct by senior Reform figures, not just individual candidates. Reform retained him in his leadership role through the 7 May 2026 elections despite the party's claim its vetting was "the best in the country".