Greene responds after Nigel Farage defends Lord Offord's homophobic joke

Nigel Farage has dismissed the reaction to a homophobic joke told by Malcolm Offord, describing the ensuing public outcry as "ridiculous".

Responding to Farage's remarks, Scottish Liberal Democrat Jamie Greene MSP said:

"To hear Nigel Farage dismiss the outrage at Lord Malcom's vile joke about George Michael's partner as 'po-faced purism' is no surprise.

"Farage clearly doesn't understand that Scotland takes pride in progress — including the progress it's made in banishing crass, callous homophobia from public life.

"Lord Offord himself has now admitted the joke was homophobic, but has fallen back on the defence that he 'has gay friends' to try and stop the scandal that's engulfing him and his party. When it comes to discriminatory language, we've heard that defence so many times before.

"Farage and Lord Offord are relics of a bygone age. Scotland has no intention of going backwards, and will reject their vile politics in May."