The leaders of Scotland's six largest parties clashed in an STV debate on Tuesday evening, with First Minister John Swinney accusing Reform UK of poisoning the campaign for the Holyrood election. Swinney urged Reform UK leader Malcolm Offord to apologise for what he described as 'racist, intolerant and homophobic views' that have soured the political discourse.
Swinney's attack on Reform UK
During the debate, Swinney directly addressed Offord, saying: 'Lord Offord, you want to cut taxes for the rich, your party leader Nigel Farage wants to privatise Scotland's NHS, you want to deport thousands of highly skilled workers from Scotland. You and your party have poisoned this campaign with racist, intolerant and homophobic views. Will you take the opportunity of this debate to apologise for how you've soured this campaign?'
Offord responded firmly: 'Absolutely not – I will not apologise for going on the record and saying, honestly, what the people of Scotland are concerned about – the real issues.'
Tax cuts and NHS privatisation
One of the most animated moments of the night came when Offord defended his party's tax cut plans. 'We want to cut taxes for working people who are being dragged by your government into higher tax bands where they do extra hours, they then suffer benefits being withdrawn, where they have marginal tax rates of 80%. We want to support workers,' he said.
Offord also denied that Reform UK supports privatising the NHS, adding: 'There is nothing racist in talking about the fact people in this country, in their communities are feeling concerned and scared. I am all about community cohesion and we don't have that in our communities.'
Swinney countered that people in Scotland are 'terrified' by Reform, but Offord replied: 'I am reflecting back what ordinary, decent Scots are saying, they feel ignored and gaslighted by the middle class parties.'
Wealth and housing exchange
In an exchange with Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer, Offord spoke about his wealth. 'I went to London 40 years ago with £2,000 in debt and full of ambition – I worked hard, and I was successful. Today, I own six houses, five cars and six boats. In a 40-year business career, I've employed hundreds of thousands of people and paid £45 million in tax,' he said, adding that his intention was not to 'boast' but to ask if the Greens would want more or less people like him in Scotland.
Greer responded: 'Fewer people like you. I think it's worth, at this point in the debate, pointing out that there are three times as many holiday homes and empty properties in this country as there are homeless children. You don't need six homes, you don't even need two homes, everybody just needs a home to live in. Surely, if we're to tackle the housing crisis, the super rich, elite individuals like you should be giving up some of those homes so that people who desperately need a roof over their head actually had somewhere to live.'
