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Offord pledges to scrap tax system and boost jobs under Reform

News imageGetty Images Malcolm Offord had short white hair and wears glasses and a dark suit. He smiles looking off to the side and appears to be outside with a man on either side of himGetty Images

Reform UK's leader in Scotland will promise to scrap the six-band income tax system, boost jobs and address immigration in his speech to the party's conference later.

Malcolm Offord is set to address members on the final day of the gathering in Birmingham.

Ahead of his speech, the West Scotland MSP said his party showed that "real world experience can top tired tropes from out-of-touch career politicians".

He claimed the SNP has "run Scotland aground" and urged voters to choose "Reform's fresh and decisive thinking".

"Things are looking very bleak for Scotland: the economy is stagnating and we are staring at a massive £5bn blackhole with no solutions forthcoming from the tired SNP government," he said.

"There are fewer jobs, the benefits bill is ballooning and households are struggling from higher taxes, leaving Scots with less money in their pockets."

Offord took aim at Scotland's six tax band system, which contrasts with the three bands in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

"The six-band tax system needs to go, we must start listening to our business leaders to boost jobs and growth across the country and it's time to address the Scottish exceptionalism at the top of government that has allowed immigration to bankrupt Scottish councils."

Offord led Reform to a breakthrough in the Scottish Parliament elections in May, securing 17 MSPs to make them the joint second largest party in Holyrood.

News imageGetty Images Nigel Farage walks in stage the Reform conference, smiling and giving the audience the thumbs up. He wears a blue suit with a white shirt and red tie. Fireworks come up from the floor and a sign behind him on a big blue screen reads "The first 100 days"Getty Images
Nigel Farage walked on stage accompanied by fireworks before his conference speech

His speech follows UK party leader Nigel Farage who addressed the conference on Friday in the wake of a Channel 4 News report in which the two men suggested a way around electoral law to secure foreign party donations for the party.

The programme featured undercover filming by Verbatim Investigations

Farage's senior aide Dan Jukes and Reform's head of policy James Orr have both stood down pending the outcome of an internal probe

In his speech, Farage said his party has "broken no law" and referred to the filming as "entrapment".

Verbatim Investigations told the BBC its reporting was "carried out to the highest journalistic standards".

Describing Britain as "broken", Farage also used his speech to attack Prime Minister Andy Burnham for having "no mandate".

He outlined a series of policies, promising "radical" tax cuts and saying a Reform government would put a stop to small boat crossings in its first 100 days.

Meanwhile, he threatened to get rid of the House of Lords in a referendum if the upper chamber failed to pass Reform legislation, describing the party's attitude as "can do, will do".