SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney has branded Reform UK's Scottish leader Malcolm Offord as “completely and utterly out of touch” after Offord revealed during a televised election debate that he owns six houses, five cars, and six boats.
Speaking on the STV election debate on Tuesday, Lord Offord insisted he was not trying to “boast” but described how he had moved to London 40 years ago “full of ambition”, worked hard, and became successful. He added: “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.”
Commenting while campaigning in Edinburgh on Wednesday, Mr Swinney said: “Malcolm Offord can explain for himself what on earth he thought he was setting out to people last night.” The First Minister, who noted he owns one house, one car, and “no yacht or any other boating craft”, told reporters: “I certainly thought it was tone deaf. I thought the setting of an individual’s personal wealth, at a time when people are really facing acute hardship … was an example of how completely and utterly out of touch Reform are with the reality of people’s lives.”
Mr Swinney contrasted this with his own party’s approach, saying the SNP recognises “the reality of the challenges people face in their lives”. He highlighted SNP proposals designed to assist during the cost-of-living crisis, including extending a £2 cap on bus fares, introducing a price cap on some essential foods, and measures to support families with childcare and first-time buyers. He stressed that an “emphatic SNP majority” is needed in next week’s Holyrood election to implement these policies, claiming that “the opposition want to stop us implementing these proposals”.
The Scottish Greens have seized on Lord Offord’s declaration, proposing an “Offord tax” to discourage wealthy individuals from hoarding multiple properties during a housing crisis. Currently, anyone buying a second or holiday home in Scotland pays an Additional Dwelling Supplement. The Greens want to introduce a multiplier so the rate increases for each additional property purchased. Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer said: “Reform try to blame immigrants for the housing crisis, but it turns out they’re the ones causing it with their greed. Nobody needs six houses, and it is baffling that Lord Offord thought that it was something to boast about, along with all of his yachts and cars.” He added that the Offord tax would help first-time buyers by making it more expensive for the super-rich to hoard extra homes.
