On January 15, 2026, the Scottish political landscape was shaken by the announcement that Malcolm Offord, a former Conservative minister and life peer, would take the helm as Reform UK’s Scottish leader. The move, unveiled by party leader Nigel Farage at a high-profile event in Fife, signals Reform UK’s bold ambition to disrupt the long-standing dominance of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and challenge the status quo at Holyrood in the upcoming May parliamentary elections.
Malcolm Offord’s political journey has been anything but conventional. Born in Greenock, Offord carved out a successful career as a businessman, founding investment firm Badenoch and Co, before entering politics. His foray into the political arena began in earnest in 2021, when then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed him as a life peer, Baron Offord of Garvel. Offord quickly rose through the ranks, serving as a junior minister in the Scotland Office and later as a minister of exports, roles that placed him at the heart of the UK government’s dealings with Scotland and international trade. He also held the post of Scottish Tory treasurer and energy spokesman in the House of Lords, underscoring his influence within Conservative circles.
Yet, in December 2025, Offord made headlines by defecting from the Scottish Conservatives to Reform UK, citing a desire for change and pledging to stand for election to the Scottish Parliament in May 2026. According to BBC News, his defection made him Reform UK’s first peer. Offord’s decision was not without personal consequence; he announced he would step down from the House of Lords, a significant move for a life peer, and formally signed his resignation letter on stage with Farage. While life peerages cannot be relinquished, Offord applied to retire as a member of the Lords effective January 30, 2026, clearing the way for his campaign.
At the Fife event, Farage described Offord’s appointment as “a brave and historic act,” adding, “He will take Reform UK Scotland to a new level.” Offord himself was forthright about his ambitions, declaring, “It’s a great honour to be named today as the new leader of Reform UK Scotland. I shall be campaigning hard between now and May 7, to communicate a positive vision of how we can all work together to make Scotland the most successful part of the UK in the next 10 years.” He continued, “We represent ordinary, decent, hardworking Scots who are fed-up with mid-table mediocrity in Holyrood. Which is why we will be fielding Reform candidates in all 73 constituencies with one sole objective: to get Scotland back to the top of the table. Make no mistake, this is now a two-horse race between Reform and the SNP. This is an exciting time for Scotland.”
Reform UK’s strategy is ambitious. According to BBC News, the party now boasts over 12,000 members in Scotland and plans to field about 100 vetted candidates in the May election. Farage told reporters, “A huge chunk of the Scottish electorate are looking for something different. And they’re tired of the decline this country has seen under SNP government.” He predicted that Reform UK could “surprise ourselves with just how many votes we manage to garner in these elections.”
Offord’s appointment comes at a time of turbulence for the Scottish Conservatives. The same day, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch sacked shadow secretary Robert Jenrick for “plotting to defect” to Reform UK. Farage confirmed he had spoken with Jenrick and “a number of very senior Conservatives,” but denied any deal had been struck. The drama surrounding potential defections overshadowed Offord’s appointment, with Farage quipping he would call Jenrick that afternoon. Later that day, Jenrick appeared at a news conference with Farage, claiming the Conservative Party was “betraying” its principles and voters.
Reform UK’s recent electoral momentum has fueled speculation about its prospects. Last month, the party won its first council by-election in West Lothian, and several polls suggest Reform is poised to challenge Labour for second place behind the SNP in May. The party’s only sitting MSP, Graham Simpson, defected from the Conservatives in August 2025 and has since tabled a bill in the Scottish Parliament to bar MSPs from simultaneously sitting as MPs or Lords—a move that could have direct implications for Offord’s candidacy.
Despite the fanfare, Offord’s appointment has drawn sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. SNP MSP Keith Brown accused Reform UK of being “a bunch of former Tories who Scotland has already rejected time and time again, pretending to be on the side of ordinary people.” Brown demanded clarity on Reform’s policies, especially regarding energy bills, education, child poverty, and NHS charges, warning, “We all know that Nigel Farage is gunning for our NHS the second he gets the chance.”
Green MSP Gillian Mackay was equally scathing, labeling Offord “one of the wealthiest and most right-wing people to ever lead a political party in Scotland.” She added, “It goes to show whose interests Reform really has at heart. They are the party of millionaires and the super-rich.” Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar called Offord a “charlatan” and questioned his commitment to working-class communities, while Scottish Liberal Democrat MSPs accused him of abandoning moral principles.
Offord’s background as a major donor to the Conservative Party—having contributed nearly £150,000—and his role as director of the Vote No Borders campaign during the 2014 independence referendum have only intensified scrutiny. Critics argue that Reform UK’s campaign will be bankrolled by the same interests that supported Tory policies leading to austerity and hardship for many Scottish families. Mackay asserted, “Reform’s campaign will be bankrolled by a lot of the people who poured money into the Tories and benefited from policies that led to mass cuts and plunged families all over Scotland into poverty.”
Farage, for his part, brushed off the criticism and expressed full confidence in Offord’s leadership. “I have every confidence in the appointment of Malcolm, he has already shown his country that he is devoted to it. Now, he will lead it to a greater future.”
As the May 2026 Scottish Parliament election approaches, the stage is set for a fierce contest. Reform UK’s challenge under Offord’s leadership will test the party’s ability to convert discontent with the SNP and the Conservatives into electoral gains. With opposition parties sharpening their attacks and Reform’s campaign machinery gearing up, Scottish voters are in for a political showdown that could reshape the nation’s political map for years to come.