A TORY donor who failed in his bid to be elected to Holyrood in May of this year will be made a minister in Boris Johnson’s government, it has been revealed.

Malcolm Offord, who has donated £147,500 to the Conservatives, was not elected to the Scottish parliament after he ran on the Tory list in the Lothians region.

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However, in a move branded a "disgrace", he will be put to work under Alister Jack in the Scotland Office as a minister in the UK Government.

The role was opened up after David Duguid, the Conservative MP for Banff and Buchan, was removed as a junior minister in the Cabinet Office reshuffle in September

The National: Malcolm Offord appearing 'in conversation' with the Reform Scotland think tankMalcolm Offord appearing 'in conversation' with the Reform Scotland think tank

Greenock-born Offord will be put into the House of Lords in order to allow him to fulfill the role, despite never having been elected.

Elected Scottish Tories, including Andrew Bowie MP, were apparently passed over in order to hand Offord the job.

Referencing this, Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay quipped: “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."

According to reports in OpenDemocracy, Offord ran his own pro-Union campaign in 2014, named “Vote No Borders”, to which he personally donated £20,000, and which attracted a number of other substantial donations.

He also spoke out in favour of a Leave vote ahead of the Brexit referendum in 2016, and has donated £2500 to Michael Gove specifically.

The National: Former Scottish Conservative leader and current Baroness Ruth Davidson

Offord ran for Holyrood in the May election, having been approved as a candidate by Ruth Davidson (above).

At the time, allegations of "cronyism" surrounded the approval, with one Tory source telling the Scotsman: "It seems all you need to get an endorsement is to have deep pockets."

Offord attempted to run against Angus Robertson in Edinburgh Central, but lost out in a Tory members ballot to Scott Douglas.

Offord worked for more than two decades in finance in the City of London, before setting up his own firm, Badenoch and Co. The firm's website says it is "a boutique investment office specialising in private equity and property with a focus on Scotland".

It is not the first time Boris Johnson has elevated an unelected person to the Lords in order to make them a minister.

The Prime Minister was widely criticised when he did so with Nicky Morgan in order to allow her to remain in Government despite not being an MP.

Tory peer Gerry Grimstone, who recently claimed that UK firms do better under foreign ownership, was also made a peer before being installed in a ministerial role.

Commenting on Offord's appointment, Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay said: Boris Johnson's "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 Stephen Flynn wrote on Twitter: "Why bother standing for election when you can simply donate to the Tories, get a peerage and then land a job in the Scotland Office?

"Democracy. UK style."

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Welcoming the appointment, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said Offord would "bring to bear a wealth of valuable business experience ... as we invest in Scotland to grow our economy and create jobs".

Offord, in his new role as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland, added that it "is an exciting time to be joining government as we build back stronger, fairer and greener from Covid".

He went on: "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."

The Scotland Office further noted that the role will be unpaid.