Overview
- Announced at a Fife press conference, Offord signed paperwork to retire from the Lords, with his departure due to take effect on January 30.
- Nigel Farage cast the May 7 vote as a two-horse race with the SNP and cited new Survation/True North polling placing Reform second in constituency voting on 19% behind the SNP on 34%.
- Farage said he retains final say over policy, describing himself as the party’s ultimate leader with significant operational control.
- Offord said Reform will field candidates in all 73 constituencies, with the full slate due in early March and policies to be released in the weeks before polling day.
- SNP and Green figures attacked the appointment and pressed for detailed policies, as Reform’s rise is fueled by prominent Tory defections, including Nadhim Zahawi’s in recent days.