Reform's Scottish leader Malcolm Offord criticises ‘over the top’ reaction to joke branded homophobic

Reform UK’s Scottish leader has said the reaction to a joke he made about George Michael while giving a speech in 2018 has been “over the top”.

Malcolm Offord is said to have told the joke while giving a Burns Night speech at the London Scottish rugby club, where he had been chairman at the time.

The former Tory government minister previously admitted to the BBC that the joke was “probably homophobic” after it resurfaced as campaigning got under way for May’s Scottish Parliament election.

Offord has attracted widespread criticism from other parties for the remarks.

However, when speaking to STV News on Friday, the Reform Scotland leader U-turned on his previous statement and said the joke “was not homophobic”.

“It was a bad joke. I regret saying it, and I apologise for it at the time”, he said.

“It wasn’t racist, and it wasn’t homophobic. You should go and talk to my gay friends and ask if I’m homophobic.

“I looked up the definition of homophobia after I did that Radio Scotland thing. It says being discriminatory or hostile to homosexuals. I have never been that in my life.”

Discussing suggestions that joke makes him unfit to be an MSP, Offord added: “I think we’ve all got to get real about this. I’ve apologised. I’ve made amends. I think that’s the end of it. I think [the reaction has been] over the top.”

Offord, who defected to Reform UK last year, said he doesn’t believe Scottish independence “isn’t a priority” for the people of Scotland.

An independence march is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 28.

Asked whether he sees the issue as important, the Reform Scotland leader said: “I don’t think so. Because I think when we’re on the doorsteps, it’s not a priority for people. I understand those who feel passionately about it want to continue to make that case, I understand that, but I’m not hearing on the doorsteps is the appetite for this.”