Malcolm Offord, the Scottish leader of Reform UK, has announced he was diagnosed with prostate cancer on the day of the Scottish Parliament elections in May and recently underwent surgery to have his prostate removed.
Offord revealed the details during an interview, stating that he is feeling well following the procedure and is prepared for his return to parliament next month. He underwent surgery last week to remove his prostate and had a catheter bag removed the following day. He described the situation as a routine matter for men his age and urged others to get checked regularly.
"I would always do my annual medical, my annual sort of GP medical every year, and you get your PSA test whatever and it was all fine and never deviated," Offord said. "And then this year it was raised, it was at a raised level, and the minute you see that you need to get it checked and get it checked as early as you can."
He noted that while receiving the diagnosis was not ideal, it coincided with election day, creating a juxtaposition between political and personal health concerns. Offord acknowledged the gravity of a cancer diagnosis but expressed confidence in medical advancements and the resilience of individuals.
During the interview, Offord also commented on party matters, calling it a "mistake" for Reform UK to suspend former Conservative figure Tim Montgomerie. He also humorously described Nigel Farage as "useless" at assisting him in his role as Scottish leader and compared his party to Millwall FC, noting the widespread public perception of being disliked.
Offord also touched upon Scotland's independence movement, suggesting the Scottish National Party had missed an opportunity to make Scotland the most successful part of the UK after the 2014 referendum. He indicated a potential openness to supporting an independent Scotland if it presented a low-tax economic model.