Malcolm Offord and Ross Greer engaged in verbal blows last night as Scotland’s attitude to wealth and status became the dominant theme of the final televised leaders debate.
A two-hour session that largely went over familiar territory on tax, health and education, sparked into life when the Reform leader and former peer revealed the number of homes, cars and boats he owns, prompting his Green counterpart to declare his own far left credentials.
In a format that allowed each candidate to quiz the others, Mr Offord was determined to take credit for becoming a self-made millionaire which would set an example for others.
“I went to London 40 years ago with £2,000 in debt, full of ambition and I worked hard and became successful,” he said.
“Today I own six houses, five cars and six boats. In a 40-year business career I have employed hundreds of thousands of people and paid £45m in tax. I don’t say that to boast, I ask you this question, Mr Greer, in your Scotland do you want more people like me, or fewer people like me?
The admission of his personal wealth was a red rag to Mr Greer, nicknamed the “Bearsden bolshevik”, who responded: “Fewer people like you. I’m glad you finally admitted how many homes you have, Lord Offord.
“There are three times as many empty homes and holiday homes in Scotland as there homeless children. “You don’t need six homes. You don’t even need two homes. Everybody just needs a home to live in.
“Surely if we’re to tackle the housing crisis the super rich elite individuals like you should be giving up some of those homes so that people who desperately need them a roof over their head have somewhere to live.”
Mr Offord was cast as the pantomime villain as the other candidates targeted his party on immigration and members who have misbehaved in office.
The Green party leader and SNP leader John Swinney repeatedly addressed Mr Offord as Lord Offord, a title he has renounced, in what appeared to be an attempt to discredit his self-styled image as a man of the working people.
Mr Offord’s supporters say this is just another smear tactic that is now typical in a country that has become ashamed of wealth, and which has dominated the political culture.
Other issues played second fiddle in another debate which at times descended into candidates talking over each other but was otherwise a glimpse into who were potential partners.
Few were able to land many blows on LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton, though some might say this is due to his NHS-focused campaign which does not differ from any of the others.
It was difficult for him to challenge Labour leader Anas Sarwar on this issue as they share similar concerns about the SNP’s record. In any case, they were unlikely to get into a Greer-Offord style row as Mr Cole-Hamilton has declared a friendship with Mr Sarwar and admitted there are areas of Labour policy he could support.
Mr Swinney, as the only candidate defending a record in government, got off fairly lightly. The fiercest critic was the Tory leader Russell Findlay who listed it as a “record of failure” and asked Mr Swinney if he was proud of falling standards in schools and hospitals and the criminal investigation around the SNP.
“Yes,” said Mr Swinney, though he was referring to his comments about improvements in the NHS and education. As in the first debate, though not so determinedly, he blamed Westminster for much of the country’s problems. This put Mr Sarwar on the spot over his love-hate relationship with Sir Keir Starmer.
The Labour leader was much quieter in this session, having been criticised after the first debate for constant interruptions. However, his focus on health always suffers from being reminded of Labour’s poor record south of the border.
Mr Findlay claimed the best lines of the night by labelling the Greens as the “SNP B-team” and Reform as “fake Conservatives”. Mr Cole-Hamilton had a mild dig at Mr Greer over the A9 dualling, while his Green rival and torch bearer for human rights managed to get Donald Trump and Binyamin Netanyahu into the debate.
There was little mention of the economy, apart from the spat over Mr Offord’s wealth which could just about qualify as a housing issue.
So who won?
Based on performance alone, probably Ross Greer, but only just. Malcolm Offord clearly wants Scotland to rekindle its love of success and wealth, but needs to find a better way to sell the message.
As the campaign nears its conclusion Mr Sarwar looked tired and defeated and handed John Swinney an open goal.
Mr Findlay has tried to win back Tory support, but his tough guy image is not cutting through.
The LibDem leader Mr Cole-Hamilton presents himself as the safe, nice guy who just wants a quieter political climate. Somehow, that seems unlikely.
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