Malcolm Offord denies homophobia after apologising for George Michael joke

Nigel Farage’s Scottish deputy has apologised for a joke he made after the death of George Michael.

MSP hopeful Malcolm Offord has denied being homophobic and said he has given money to an LGBT organisation.

The comment is said to have been made during a speech while Offord was chairman of the London Scottish rugby club.

The remark concerned the late singer’s partner Fadi Fawaz and was made in 2017.

A witness told the Daily Record it was “crude, bad taste and insulting”.

Offord, the leader of Reform UK in Scotland, has now confirmed that he did make an “inappropriate joke”.

He said: “I instantly regretted it and recognised that it was totally inappropriate and took responsibility for what I had said.

He went on: “This was a clumsy mistake that I immediately acknowledged and acted upon. I am not homophobic.

“I am someone who accepts accountability, owns my actions, and makes amends where needed. That is who I am.”

The row follows Offord’s defence of Reform candidates over social media posts including one that called Humza Yousaf an “Islamist” and others indicating support for convicted far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson.

Offord said: “We have all made comments in the past but the problem with this modern world is everything is written down and remembered.

“We need to be more realistic about the fact real people say real things.”

On Offord’s joke, witness Ian Lewer said: “I don't know who in their right mind would say something like that.

“It is utterly bizarre that anyone would get up and make a speech in a room with 200 people and say something like that.

“It was so shocking I've not forgotten it.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Greene commented: “As a gay politician, I've been on the receiving end of some fairly unpleasant commentary over the years.

“You almost come to expect it from anonymous trolls on social media. You don't, however, hear it from the mouths of political party leaders.”

He continued: “Sadly, nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to the bile emanating from the mouth of Reform; one wonders how much lower they might sink.”