NIGEL Farage announced another bombshell Tory defection last night – with millionaire Tory Lord and donor Malcolm Offord joining Reform UK.
Tory insiders were left reeling as the departure was announced live on stage at a Reform Party rally in Falkirk, in Scotland.
Scottish businessman Mr Offord was made a Tory peer in 2021 and served as a minister in the Trade and Scotland Offices.
A close ally of Kemi Badenoch, he has donated over £135,000 to the Conservatives and was their Party Treasurer in Scotland.
But taking to the stage in Falkirk, he launched a blistering attack on the failing Tories and said now is the time for Reform.
He said: “I am resigning from the Conservative Party. Today I am joining Reform UK.
“And today I announce my intention to stand for Reform at the Holyrood election in May next year.”
Giving a direct message to his friend Kemi Badenoch, he added: “It’s not personal – but I need to put country before party.”
But he tore into the Tory record of the past few years. He said: “I had three Prime Ministers in three years. There were no clear principles and no clear ideology.
“It was a shambles.”
Lord Offord slammed “career politicians” in the Tories who blew up the party before the election and were obsessed with their “legacies” rather than the country.
He added: “The Scottish Conservative Party, I believe, have given up on Scotland.”
Hailing the defection, Mr Farage said: “I am delighted to welcome Malcolm to Reform. This is a brave and historic act. He will take Reform UK Scotland to a new level.”
Lord Offord said he will be quitting the House of Lords and handing back his peerage so he can run for Reform UK in the Holyrood election in Scotland next May.
It means that despite the defection, Reform UK still does not have a member of the House of Lords in their party.
A Tory source said of the defection: “It is a serious coup. They now have a very serious person to run Reform Scotland.”
