Tory Lord defects to Reform and announces Holyrood intentions
Lord Malcolm Offord served as a Scotland Office minister during the last Conservative government, and was the Scottish Tories' treasurer
Last updated 6th Dec 2025
Nigel Farage has welcomed the latest high-profile defector to Reform UK, with Tory peer Lord Malcolm Offord joining the party.
The Scottish financier previously served as a Scotland Office minister during the last Conservative government, and was the Scottish Tories' treasurer at the time of his defection, as well as being a major donor to the party.
Reform UK's first House of Lords member...but not for long
Lord Offord, briefly, becomes Reform UK’s first member of the House of Lord, but told a rally in Falkirk he intends to return his peerage and stand for the party at next year’s Holyrood elections.
Mr Farage said he was "delighted" to welcome Lord Offord to Reform, describing his defection as "a brave and historic act".
He added: "He will take Reform UK Scotland to a new level."
During a speech, Lord Offord said he wanted to restore Scotland to a "prosperous, happy, healthy country".
"Scotland needs Reform and Reform is coming to Scotland," he told the rally.
Lord Offord vows to campaign 'tirelessly'
"Today I can announce that I am resigning from the Conservative Party. Today I am joining Reform UK and today I announce my intention to stand for Reform in the Holyrood election in May next year.
"And that means that from today, for the next five months, day and night, I shall be campaigning with all of you tirelessly for two objectives.
"The first objective is to remove this rotten SNP government after 18 years, and the second is to present a positive vision for Scotland inside the UK, to restore Scotland to being a prosperous, proud, healthy and happy country."
Lord Offord previously donated £150,000 to Scottish Tories
The Greenock-born businessman was made a life peer in 2021 by then prime minister Boris Johnson and served as a minister of exports from 2023 until the general election in June 2024. He had previously donated nearly £150,000 to the party.
Following his peerage, he was made Baron Offord of Garvel, of Greenock in the County of Renfrew.
He becomes Reform's latest high-profile defection in Scotland. The party previously announced the defection of Scottish Tory MSP Graham Simpson, who also gave a speech at the Falkirk rally.
A Scottish Conservative party spokesman said:
"Any vote for Reform next year will only tighten the SNP's grip on power at Holyrood.
"Nigel Farage has been clear he is fine with John Swinney staying as First Minister, his party stood pro-independence candidates in the last election, and he is still courting others who would break up the UK.
"The Scottish Conservatives, under Russell Findlay's leadership, recognise that many people feel completely disconnected from politics.
"That is why we will continue to relentlessly focus on promoting common-sense Conservative policies to grow our economy and stand up for the priorities of mainstream Scotland."