Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer branded Reform UK Scotland leader Malcolm Offord a "chancer" during the first televised debate of the Scottish election campaign on Sunday. The clash occurred on BBC's Debate Night, which featured leaders from the SNP, Scottish Labour, Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Greens, Scottish Liberal Democrats, and Reform UK Scotland.
Greer criticised Offord over his past as a Conservative minister and donor, stating: "This is a failed Tory minister who gave the Tory Party £200,000 and then they gave him a seat in the House of Lords and ministerial office – I'm sure that was totally coincidental." He also referenced the former leader of Reform UK in Wales, who is serving a 10-year jail sentence for taking Russian bribes.
Offord defended his stance on immigration, arguing that those coming to work should be welcomed, but not those "jumping the queues" of public services "to the detriment of local people in our own communities." He claimed that people arriving illegally with people smugglers were putting "real pressure on public services." Greer countered that "we don't have enough immigration."
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also attacked Offord, accusing him of spending tens of thousands of pounds "questioning my loyalty to my country" through an ad campaign that said Sarwar would "prioritise the Pakistani community." Sarwar said Offord's actions attacked "anyone from a migrant background in this country."
First Minister John Swinney disassociated himself from the rhetoric of both Offord and Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay, stating: "We're a country that does not have a big enough working age population, we need to welcome people to come into our workforce." After the debate, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander accused Swinney of "arrogance" for telling Sarwar he would "be here for a lot longer, Anas, when I defeat you on May 7."
