AN unelected millionaire Tory donor has been made a minister at the Scotland Office.
Malcolm Offord, an Edinburgh-based financier who ran the pro-Union No Borders campaign during the 2014 referendum, has been catapulted into the job after being given a peerage.
The Scottish Greens called it a "disgrace and sums up the contempt the Prime Minister has for Scottish democracy".
According to Electoral Commission records, Mr Offord has given the Conservative party more than £135,000 since 2007, as well as giving £2,500 to Tory MP Michael Gove in 2019.
He gave the No Borders campaign another £20,000.
The 57-year-old tried and failed to secure the Conservative candidacy in Ruth Davidson’s old Edinburgh Central seat at the recent Holyrood election.
He ended up as the fifth-ranked candidate on the Lothians list.
Downing Street said the Queen had been pleased to approve Malcolm Offord as “Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office”, and also to “signify Her intention of conferring a peerage of the United Kingdom for Life on Malcolm Offord”.
Mr Offord’s appointment, which is unpaid, is the last gasp of Boris Johnson’s recent reshuffle.
He replaces Banff & Buchan MP David Duguid, who was sacked.
His appointment means Mr Johnson overlooked the two Tory MPs who might have done the role instead - Andrew Bowie and John Lamont.
It also restores a previous arrangement of having one Scotland Office minister in the Commons and another in the Lords.
Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay said: “It’s not often I agree with Boris Johnson, but his assessment of the Scottish Tory MP group as a crowd unfit for ministerial office is one I’m sure we can all support.
"However, his decision to appoint a Tory donor who was rejected by the Scottish electorate just a few months ago is a disgrace and sums up the contempt the Prime Minister has for Scottish democracy.”
SNP MP Stewart Hosie said: "The stench of rampant cronyism surrounding this Tory government grows day by day.
"There are already serious questions facing the Tories over the use of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money for vanity projects and Covid contracts, but to now hand out roles and peerages to party donors shows contempt for democracy.
“Boris Johnson has clearly failed to appoint someone within his own ranks and has now had to go searching for a financial associate to help counter the growing support for independence.
“The Prime Minister can try and run away from the idea of an independence referendum, but ultimately he cannot hide from democracy and from the cast-iron electoral mandate which exists.
“The reality is that Scotland is hugely vulnerable under Westminster control - with severe labour shortage, empty supermarket shelves, an ongoing fuel crisis, and rampant Tory cronyism engulfing Westminster.
"The people of Scotland have had enough of the sleaze at the heart of the UK government. The only way we can protect Scotland from the sleaze and cronyism of the Tories is by becoming an independent country.”
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “It’s great news that Malcolm Offord has been appointed as a UK Government Minister for Scotland.
"At this critical time, as we recover from the pandemic, Mr Offord will bring to bear a wealth of valuable business experience.
"I very much look forward to working with Malcolm over the coming months and years, as we invest in Scotland to grow our economy and create jobs.”
Mr Offord, chair and founder of the 'boutique investment company Badenoch and Co. said: "It's an honour to be appointed a UK Government minister for Scotland, working alongside ministerial colleagues and stakeholders to help rebuild our economy and promote the best interests of Scotland within the United Kingdom.
"It is an exciting time to be joining government as we build back stronger, fairer and greener from Covid.
"As a proud Scot and experienced businessman, I know how crucial our business community will be in getting Scotland prospering again.
"I look forward to working closely with them and the many other sectors, including Civic Society, who will play such a huge part in helping us deliver a brighter future by getting people into work through our Plan For Jobs, levelling up by investing in Scotland’s communities and helping rebuild our public services.”
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