In a significant blow to the Scottish Conservatives, a former Tory minister and major donor has crossed the floor to join Nigel Farage's Reform UK party.
Peer Resigns Lords Seat for Holyrood Ambition
Lord Malcolm Offord, a Conservative peer and former exports minister, announced his defection to Reform UK on Saturday, 6 December 2025. He confirmed his intention to stand for the Scottish Parliament in next year's elections.
As members of the House of Lords are barred from serving as MSPs, Offord stated he will resign from the upper chamber and return his life peerage. This peerage was bestowed upon him by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Scathing Critique of Scottish Conservatives
Explaining his dramatic move, Lord Offord launched a fierce attack on his former party's Scottish wing. He labelled the Scottish Conservative Party as "unelectable" and accused it of having "given up" on Scotland.
He criticised the party for a perceived lack of vision and ambition, suggesting it was no longer a credible force in Scottish politics. Offord is a millionaire businessman who previously donated over £150,000 to the Conservative Party.
Farage Hails 'Transformative' Defection
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage warmly welcomed the high-profile recruit. He predicted that Offord would have a "transformative effect" on the party's fortunes and presence in Scotland.
This defection marks the latest in a series of blows for the Conservatives, who have seen several members and supporters switch allegiance to Reform UK in recent months. The move signals Reform's growing ambition to become a major player in Scottish, as well as UK-wide, politics.
