Anas Sarwar and Malcolm Offord accuse each other of lying over pact claims

In an escalation of hostilities during an increasingly bitter Holyrood election campaign, Labour’s Anas Sarwar insisted Malcolm Offord, the leader of Reform UK in Scotland, was talking “complete nonsense” and was a “chronic liar”.

But Lord Offord stood by his story, telling journalists: “I’m not making this up.”

It came after he used a TV election debate to claim Mr Sarwar had approached him about the prospect of the two parties working together to remove the SNP from power in Scotland.

The former UK Tory minister said Mr Sarwar had come “bouncing up to me in Paisley Town Hall” after an episode of Question Time in December, and had suggested “we need to work together, Reform and Labour, to remove the SNP”.

READ MORE: Malcolm Offord claims backroom chat with Anas Sarwar to 'work together to get rid of the SNP'

The comments were immediately seized upon by the SNP, which has been keen to talk up the prospect of a “grubby deal” between Labour and Reform in order to present itself as the main alternative to Nigel Farage’s party.

Speaking to journalists at a farm in Larbert, Falkirk, on Wednesday, Lord Offord expanded on his claims. He recalled that Mr Sarwar had launched “a very personal attack” during the Question Time episode, accusing him of being an “odious, pathetic little man”.

He said: “We came back in after the show, and it’s quite an intense concept being on these shows and I was just standing with Max [Bannerman, an aide], and just as people were leaving, Anas came on his own, without his minders, popped over just to say goodbye and I remember exactly what he said.

“‘Interesting move to Reform,’ he said, ‘I always saw you as more of a unionist than a Tory, Malcolm.’ I remember that line. He said, ‘Look, you are going to do well in the election, you are going to win a lot of seats. At some point we need to get together and talk about how we work together, Reform and Labour, to get rid of the SNP.” Turned on his heel and left, and off he went, and that was it.”

Earlier, Mr Sarwar told journalists: “Malcolm Offord is a liar. It’s nonsense. No deal, no stitch up, no nothing. I want Reform to get hammered at this election, and I also want to get rid of the SNP at this election.”

Campaigning in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, he said: “Malcolm Offord is a liar, and the night he’s referencing is the same night I was on national television calling him a pathetic, odious little man, and saying that the people of Scotland will reject him, and that’s exactly what I hope happens in this election. That’s what I’m confident will happen in this election.

“I want Reform to get hammered in this election, but this election is more than just about beating Reform - it’s about beating the SNP and changing our country.”

He added: “It is utter nonsense, and it’s desperation from Malcolm Offord. And actually for the SNP to jump on it - they are now effectively saying, don’t trust a word this man says unless he’s saying something about me.”

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During a visit to Maybole, South Ayrshire, First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney said: “I think it’s up to Reform and Labour to explain themselves, because a charge was made last night.

“The assurance I can give to the public in Scotland is that the best way to lock Reform out of any influence in our governance is to elect a majority SNP government.

“I want to be crystal clear, I will have absolutely nothing to do with co-operating with Reform.”