Offord Affirms Fitness for First Minister Role Amid Controversy
Reform UK's Scottish leader, Malcolm Offord, has stated he is "absolutely fit to be first minister" while defending remarks he made at a rugby club dinner eight years ago that were widely criticized as homophobic.
Speaking to the BBC at a campaign event in Peterhead, Offord said:
"It's for other people to judge my character, my integrity, and that's why I'm putting myself forward."
He emphasized that he had not concealed any details regarding the joke and highlighted honesty as an essential trait for politicians.
Offord Addresses the Nature of the Joke and Media Reaction
Earlier in an interview with Radio Scotland Breakfast, Lord Offord acknowledged that the joke he made about George Michael was "probably" homophobic but criticized the media's response as "astounding" due to what he described as "fake outrage."
"I would have been mistaken for thinking I'd done some serious misconduct or some criminal offence - instead I told a bad joke for which I've apologised,"
he added.
Offord expressed regret over the "off the cuff" comment made at a Burns Supper held by the Kings Cross Steelers rugby club in 2018. He noted that he had apologized and donated £2,000 to the LGBT rugby club as a gesture of reparation.
Clarification on Intent and Public Response
Lord Offord maintained that there was "no malice" intended in his remarks and that he had received substantial public support.
"This happened eight years ago, it was not meant to cause any offence but it did cause offence, and I rectified that offence. All the people involved were satisfied with that."
When asked directly if the joke was homophobic, he responded:
"It probably was. It was a mistake."
He further stated:
"I don't have any issue with homophobia, I've got a lot of gay friends."
Offord also pointed out that the comments were made prior to his political career.
"It was an error of judgement, sometimes one does that, particularly when you are a private individual,"
he said, adding:
"Obviously when you are in public office it is a higher standard and we are all learning on the way."
Comparison with Other Political Figures
Offord referenced recent controversies involving other politicians, including former SNP council leader Jordan Linden, who was found guilty of five sexual assaults against young men, and former Health Secretary Michael Matheson, who resigned after breaching expenses policies.
"You might have thought based on what we have heard in the last week I was guilty of something serious, like for example sexual assaults against five young men, or maybe I had tried to defraud the taxpayer for £11,000 for my iPad bill,"
he remarked.
"Can we just get real on this?"
Support from Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage
Reform UK's leader Nigel Farage publicly defended Lord Offord's comments on Thursday.
Farage stated:
"If we're going to drum people out of public life for telling a joke at a boozy rugby club dinner that's amongst friends, we'll finish up with the dullest group of individuals, looking a bit like, sounding a bit like Keir Starmer."
Recent Candidate Withdrawals and Suspensions
Several Reform UK candidates have recently withdrawn or been suspended.
On Thursday, Linda Holt, the party's candidate for Fife North East, withdrew her candidacy citing "a lack of support from the party" after she referred to former First Minister Humza Yousaf as a "grandstanding Islamist moron."
On Friday, James Glen, who was due to stand in Edinburgh North Western, also stepped down, expressing full support for Holt's decision and her reasons.
Last week, Stuart Niven, the Dundee City West candidate, was suspended following reports by The Herald that he had been banned from acting as a company director for seven years after diverting thousands of pounds from a taxpayer-backed Covid loan into his personal account.
Additionally, Jordan Brown, the party's Aberdeen Central candidate, and Roland Jackson, the candidate for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, have both withdrawn.
Offord Comments on Candidate Changes and Media Scrutiny
Regarding the number of candidates withdrawing, Lord Offord commented:
"I would say we've done an extraordinary thing in a short space of time.
To interview over 300 candidates to get 73 wanting to stand and it's not easy to stand as an MSP and a lot of people find that out."
He described the media scrutiny as "intense," noting that the pressure was not suitable for everyone, which led some candidates to pull out.
Offord assured that the party has backup candidates and intends to present a full slate of candidates.
