Reform MSP Supports Offord Despite Homophobic Joke Allegations
Reform UK's only Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) has expressed confidence in Malcolm Offord's suitability to lead the party following accusations that he made a homophobic joke at a Burns Night dinner.
Offord issued an apology for the "crude" comment, which was made at a rugby club dinner in 2018, but denied being homophobic after the incident was reported this week by the Daily Record.
Graham Simpson, who switched allegiance from the Scottish Conservatives to Reform UK, publicly supported his party leader, stating he had not witnessed the joke and adding:
"I don't want to see it."
Conversely, First Minister John Swinney stated that Offord was "unfit" to participate in Scottish politics.
"He's unfit to be leader of any political party"
In a social media statement on Wednesday, Offord acknowledged making the "crude joke" after consuming "a bit to drink" at the London Scottish rugby club while serving as chairman.
He explained that the remarks referred to the late singer George Michael, who passed away on Christmas Day in 2016, as Offord had been drawing connections between Michael's songs and the works of Robert Burns.
The joke involved a reference to placing the singer's cremated remains into a curry, followed by a crude allusion to sexual acts.
Offord maintained that the joke was intended to be "funny through being edgy and shocking," but admitted it made attendees uncomfortable and that he "instantly regretted it."
He added that he apologized at the time and made a donation to an LGBT rugby club.
When questioned about Offord in the Scottish Parliament, Swinney told reporters:
"He's unfit to be leader of any political party, unfit to be a member of the Scottish Parliament with views and attitudes like that."
Swinney further suggested that if Offord repeated the remark at a Reform UK event, he suspected "lots of people would laugh and applaud, based on what I saw of the launch last week."
The First Minister emphasized:
"So I think we've got to be really careful as a country about where we are heading, and Reform have got no part to play in it if they represent views of intolerance, prejudice and hatred of that type."
"It was so shocking I've not forgotten it"
Ian Lewer, who attended the 2018 rugby club dinner with his wife, described the joke as "crude, bad taste and insulting."
"I don't know who in their right mind would say something like that.
It is utterly bizarre that anyone would get up and make a speech in a room with 200 people and say something like that.
It was so shocking I've not forgotten it."
Offord was inducted into the London Scottish rugby club's hall of fame in May 2023.
Scotland's Constitution Secretary, Angus Robertson, accused Offord of homophobia and stated he was unfit for public office.
Labour's Paul O'Kane described Reform as the "nasty party," while Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Greene accused the party of spreading "bile."
Last week, Offord defended previous comments made by some of his party's candidates shortly after their announcement, including remarks concerning asylum seekers and an insult directed at former First Minister Humza Yousaf.
