The party leaders clashed over immigration.
Reform UK’s leader in Scotland is a “chancer”, Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer said in the first televised debate of the Scottish election.
The leaders of Scotland’s main political parties took part in their first TV election debate of the campaign on Sunday.
Leaders of the Scottish National Party, Scottish Labour, Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Greens, Scottish Liberal Democrats and Reform UK Scotland were all featured on Debate Night on the BBC.
In a clash over immigration, Mr Greer said that Reform Scotland’s leader Malcolm Offord is “an absolute chancer”.
He added: “This is a failed Tory minister who gave the Tory Party £200,000 and then they gave him a seat in the House of Lords and ministerial office – I’m sure that was totally coincidental.
“He was part of that failed Tory government, the former leader of Reform in Wales is currently doing a 10-year jail sentence for taking Russian bribes, they are not the answer to any of the challenges in Scotland.”
Malcolm Offord said he was in favour of immigration for those coming to work, but he did not support those who are “jumping the queues” of public services “to the detriment of local people in our own communities”.
The Scottish Green leader added that “we don’t have enough immigration”.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also criticised Mr Offord, and said he has spent tens of thousands of pounds “questioning my loyalty to my country”.
Mr Sarwar was referencing an ad campaign posted online ahead of a by-election in Hamilton, which said: “Anas Sarwar has said he will prioritise the Pakistani community.”
Mr Sarwar said: “Let’s not fall for the trap that Malcolm Offord wants you to fall into. He wants to use migration not to make our country better, but to play a dog whistle and divide our country.”
He continued: “And let him also own the fact that he spent tens of thousands of pounds questioning my loyalty to my country, Scotland. And when he did that, yes, he attacked me, but he attacked anyone from a migrant background in this country.
“My family came to this country in the 1940s. Scotland has seen his type before and rejected them, and I’ve got no doubt they’ll do the same again.”
The party leaders were asked questions by a live studio audience on varying issues such as the NHS and independence.
