Malcolm Offord insists his First Minister bid is “not pie in the sky”
The Reform UK in Scotland leader rejects “stirring up” anti-migrant hatred, says too many go to university, and wants to ditch the baby box.
Malcolm Offord believes he can still become First Minister after next week’s Holyrood election.
That’s despite Reform trailing the SNP in the polls and having little support from other parties contesting the election.
“There’s no pollster that would back that opinion, and I know where we are in the polls it doesn’t look realistic, but it’s not pie in the sky. You’ve got to be in it to win it and my vision for Scotland I believe I can deliver it as First Minister of Scotland.”
WATCH: You ask the questions
Taking part in our series of leadership interviews, it was put to him he would need backing from elsewhere in Holyrood which seems extremely unlikely.
“Why are they all copying our policies? Why are they now talking about a bonfire of the quangos, why are they now talking word for word about affordable and secure energy, why are they now talking word for word about tax being too high? They are our policies, they are our language and therefore, is Reform actually building consensus in Scotland?”
Fanning the flames or reflecting reality?
The Reform UK in Scotland leader faced several questions about the issues important to you in this election including immigration with Sagel from Edinburgh raising concerns about a rise in anti-migrant hatred.
Malcolm Offord rejects claims his party is responsible
“We are not stirring this up. We are reflecting back the reality of what’s happening on the ground. What are seeing is, especially in our working class communities, local people feel they have been gaslighted, they are not having their concerns heard by professional politicians.”
Jackie from Kilwinning wanted to know if Reform would keep free prescriptions.
“We have no plans to change that. We are very clear that we want the NHS to be free at the point of need and paid for by general taxation. What we want to do is make it more efficient”.
Baby boxes would go
And on other “free stuff” in Scotland like free tuition, Malcolm Offord says they’d keep it but “we’ve got too many people going to university. We don’t need 50 per cent of our kids going to university when they come out and can’t get a job. We should have more like 50 per cent of kids going to colleges and getting really good jobs, technical jobs which give them skills which allow them to build careers which will not be taken away by AI”.
One thing the Reform leader does want to ditch is baby boxes – a Scottish Government scheme providing free clothing, thermometers and other goods for every newborn in Scotland.
“I see that as a complete gimmick.”
Asked if a Reform government would get rid of it, Malcolm Offord replied:
“I would, it’s an absolute gimmick. What we need to do is help families, especially at the lower end, get their kids educated, get a good education.”
Celtic music fan
One thing we have challenged every political leader to do is build their dream music festival line up.
“The central act would have to be Runrig at Hampden park singing Loch Lomond, that is just the all-time spine tingler, absolutely love that. I like some of the Scottish folky bands, I went to a gig recently in the Borders where Skerryvore were playing.”
Malcolm Offord also says he’s still a fan of Deacon Blue, despite the band saying they were “appalled” and hit out at Reform’s “poisonous rhetoric” after he quoted their song Dignity when talking about his yacht:
“I didn’t want to make it political, I’ve been to quite a few of their gigs, I love their music. Let’s keep politics out of music.”