The Scottish leader of Reform UK has come under fire for backing ‘­vigilante’ groups to keep women safe from immigrants in Glasgow city centre.

Lord Malcolm Offord yesterday defended his decision to go out on a ‘fact-finding’ trip with ‘working-class fathers’ carrying out late-night patrols.

But he denied they were vigilantes because they are unarmed and claimed they have the permission of the police.

His comments came at an event where he confirmed his intention to stand as Reform’s candidate for the Inverclyde constituency.

The former Tory peer said he had met the group called North2South, which carries out a ‘patrol’ in Glasgow between 9pm and 2am.

He said: ‘The issue that they have, because of their own situation perhaps with their own daughter, is that they found that when they are coming out of the bars and the nightclubs they feel unsafe.

‘They just feel the atmosphere has changed in Glasgow in the last five years, there is a lot more men basically from foreign lands, not speaking English as their first language.’

He hit out at the suggestion that he was supporting vigilantes, saying: ‘It is not a vigilante group, it’s a street patrol.’

Malcolm Offord announcing his intention to stand as Reform’s candidate for the Inverclyde constituency on Friday

He also claimed groups like North2South are a consequence of the fact ‘the system is wrong’ and immigrants are being incentivised to come to Scotland.

Lord Offord said: ‘They are not vigilante groups, they are not armed, they are a bunch of volunteers wearing high-viz jackets saying North2South on the back with police permission.

‘They are on the streets to help just make sure that there is an element of safety and security, particularly for women and girls, on the streets of Glasgow. It is not a vigilante group and they don’t have an agenda other than to keep their people safe.’

Pressed on whether he doesn’t trust the police to keep women and girls safe, he said: ‘The police themselves say they are underfunded, over-stretched. You will see that in your towns and cities.

‘Do you really see a lot of police presence in your local cities and town centres? You don’t, do you? You just don’t, and the police don’t deny that either.’

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: ‘Lord Offord appears to be making policy up on the hoof that quickly crumbles under any sort of scrutiny.’

Scottish Labour justice spokesman Pauline McNeill said: ‘While Malcolm Offord and Reform back vigilante groups and spread lies about the police, Scottish Labour is focused on making our communities safer.’

SNP MSP Stuart McMillan said: ‘Malcolm Offord and Reform UK should let Police Scotland do their job rather than coming away with dangerous nonsense like this.’

Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Greene said: ‘I trust the good people of Greenock to see through his toxic divisive language and say no thanks to Reform.’

Asked about backing North2South, a Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘We do not endorse, condone or encourage any group’s activity.’