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Malcolm Offord found out about his cancer just hours before being elected

Malcolm Offord has revealed he was diagnosed with prostate cancer on the day of the Holyrood election.

The Scottish Reform leader found out about his condition hours before being elected to the devolved national legislature.

He has since had an operation to remove his prostate but says he is feeling positive.

Mr Offord revealed his diagnosis during an appearance at Edinburgh Fringe with Matt Forde, who had noticed he was wearing an hospital wristband.

Mr Offord said: “I had a procedure last Wednesday to remove my prostate, so I am now clear.

“I went in yesterday to get the catheter bag removed and I was told to keep the band on for 24 hours, but I am feeling pretty good so I think I will take it off at the end of the show.”

He got the final confirmation of the diagnosis on May 7, the day of the Holyrood election.

He was then asked if having cancer was more painful than dealing with the wrangles of being an MSP.

He said: “The prostate is out and gone and I can move on, but I still have five more years of FMQs.

“It is routine - I am 61 and it happens in a lot of men my age.

“But the good news is that medics are all over this, they know how to fix it.

“There is plenty of life after, so you need to get checked - every male in the room knows they need to get checked.”

The former Tory UK Government minister was appointed directly to his post by Nigel Farage in January.

His appointment was announced by Mr Farage at a press conference in Fife.

It came just over a month after he defected from the Tories.

He served as a Scotland Office minister and business minister in the previous Conservative administration at Westminster, but the January press conference saw him sign the paperwork to end his time in the House of Lords.

Mr Farage said that has seen “Lord Offord of Garvel become Malcolm from Greenock”.

He said his party’s Scottish leader had made a “brave and principled move” by giving up his peerage, adding: “After all, the House of Lords is a club for life, subsidised lunch, sleep on the benches all afternoon.”

He said Mr Offord had “given it all up” to stand for Reform.

In his remarks upon becoming leader, Mr Offord said: “It’s a great honour to be named today as the new leader of Reform UK Scotland.

“I shall be campaigning hard between now and May 7, to communicate a positive vision of how we can all work together to make Scotland the most successful part of the UK in the next 10 years.

“We represent ordinary, decent, hardworking Scots who are fed up with mid-table mediocrity in Holyrood. Which is why we will be fielding Reform candidates in all 73 constituencies with one sole objective – to get Scotland back to the top of the table.

“This is an exciting time for Scotland. The election in May allows Scots to finally get rid of this rotten SNP Government who have had plenty of time to deliver prosperity for Scotland and have failed.”