Greer Brands Offord a 'Chancer' in Heated Scottish Election TV Debate
The first televised debate of the Scottish election campaign erupted into fiery exchanges on Sunday, with Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer launching a scathing attack on Reform UK's leader in Scotland, Malcolm Offord, branding him a "chancer". The leaders of Scotland's main political parties, including the SNP, Scottish Labour, Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Greens, Scottish Liberal Democrats, and Reform UK Scotland, all featured on BBC's Debate Night, clashing primarily over the contentious issue of immigration.
Immigration Sparks Fierce Clash
In a debate segment focusing on immigration—a policy area not controlled by the Scottish Parliament—Ross Greer did not hold back, stating that Reform Scotland's leader Malcolm Offord is "an absolute chancer". Greer elaborated, "This is a failed Tory minister who gave the Tory Party £200,000 and then they gave him a seat in the House of Lords and ministerial office—I'm sure that was totally coincidental." He further criticised Offord's association with a "failed Tory government" and highlighted that the former leader of Reform in Wales is currently serving a 10-year jail sentence for taking Russian bribes, asserting that Reform UK is "not the answer to any of the challenges in Scotland".
Offord Defends His Stance on Immigration
Malcolm Offord responded by stating his support for immigration for those coming to work but expressed opposition to individuals who are "jumping the queues" of public services "to the detriment of local people in our own communities". Lord Offord emphasised a "basic Scottish principle" of waiting for services, arguing, "What they're seeing right now is people just arriving from nowhere who paid a lot of money to come here illegally with people smugglers, arriving and getting to the front of the queue and putting real pressure on public services. I am afraid that is not Scottish and it's not fair. It's certainly not racist, but it's not fair."
Sarwar and Findlay Weigh In
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also criticised Offord, accusing him of spending tens of thousands of pounds "questioning my loyalty to my country". Sarwar referenced an online ad campaign from a by-election in Hamilton that claimed he would prioritise the Pakistani community. He urged voters not to "fall for the trap that Malcolm Offord wants you to fall into", alleging that Offord aims to use migration "not to make our country better, but to play a dog whistle and divide our country". Sarwar added, "My family came to this country in the 1940s. Scotland has seen his type before and rejected them, and I've got no doubt they'll do the same again."
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay stated his support for people coming to Scotland who "can contribute to society", but warned that "far too many people have been coming here illegally and the numbers are out of control".
Swinney Condemns Inflammatory Rhetoric
First Minister John Swinney criticised both Findlay and Offord, saying, "I think the rhetoric is inflammatory and I disassociate myself from all of it." He highlighted Scotland's need for a larger working-age population, noting, "We're a country that does not have a big enough working age population, we need to welcome people to come into our workforce—unemployment is very, very low in Scotland at the present moment."
Post-Debate Reactions
Following the debate, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander accused Swinney of "arrogance" after the First Minister told Sarwar he would "be here for a lot longer, Anas, when I defeat you on May 7". Alexander described Swinney's performance as "complacent and edgy and arrogant", while praising Sarwar as "head and shoulders above the others this evening". He claimed, "Truthfully, we needed a win this evening and we got a win this evening."
In contrast, SNP campaign manager Angus Robertson rejected assertions that Swinney was taking voters for granted, stating, "We go into every election campaign asking for the support of the public and, as we know now because of repeated polling, the SNP is in a very strong position. But we're trying to win a majority in this election campaign, so we still have work to do." He dismissed Labour's attacks as a reflection of the party's desperation.
The debate underscored deep divisions on immigration and set a combative tone for the upcoming Scottish election, with leaders positioning themselves on key issues ahead of the May 7 vote.
