Scottish Conservative peer defects to Reform UK

Former Conservative Minister Lord Malcolm Offord has defected to Reform UK, unveiled by Nigel Farage at a rally in Falkirk. Lord Offord plans to campaign as a Reform candidate in the 2026 Holyrood elections, aiming to remove the SNP government and present a positive vision for Scotland. The former Treasurer of the Scottish Conservatives was previously a key figure in the Conservative party and served as a junior minister in the Scotland office.