Lord Malcolm Offord, the leader of Reform UK in Scotland, has declared that the term “racist” has become “dangerously damaged” and is employed “too loosely” in political discourse. Speaking in an interview with wrestler Grado for LBC, Offord argued that the word has lost its impact and is now excessively accusatory, often misapplied to those who are simply demanding fairness.
Offord Defends Voters Against Racism Accusations
When asked whether he encounters people who believe Reform UK supporters are racist, Offord firmly rejected the notion. “No, because that word has become dangerously damaged. It’s used too loosely now, and it’s too accusatory,” he said. He emphasised that many individuals labelled as racist are merely advocating for equitable treatment. “People say: ‘Hang on a minute, we’re not racist. We actually just want life to be fair. We want a system that’s fair to everybody.’ A system that’s not fair, especially for local people, shouldn’t be happening. Don’t call somebody racist for saying it’s not fair.”
The former Conservative peer attributed many accusations of racism to the ongoing debate over migration. He highlighted queuing as a quintessentially Scottish value, stating, “When you want to get into the theatre, we queue up. If there’s a soup kitchen, you queue up. It’s fundamentally Scottish that you queue up because that makes it fair… What do we hate the most? People who barge to the front of the queue. If people come to our country who have never been here before, they get put to the front of the queue. It’s not fair, is it?”
Local Connection Rule and Housing Concerns
Offord pointed to the end of the local connection rule for social housing in Scotland as a prime example. He claimed that newcomers arriving in Glasgow, the UK’s largest migrant dispersal city, are placed at the front of the housing queue. “Local people are saying that’s not fair. You can call that racist if you want – but that’s not fair,” he asserted.
The Reform UK Scotland leader, who defected from the Tories in December after a year of deliberation, admitted that the media scrutiny of his role has been a “rude awakening”. He acknowledged making mistakes and learning quickly. Since launching its Holyrood election campaign, the party has faced controversies, with eight candidates resigning after revelations of extremist views, including support for Tommy Robinson and calls for Muslim deportation.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has also criticised the party’s tax cut proposals, branding them a “mirage”. Despite these challenges, polling generally places Reform UK second behind the SNP, potentially positioning Offord as the effective leader of the opposition at Holyrood.
