Offord stood as the Conservative candidate for Barnsley East and Mexborough in the 2001 general election. He came third in the seat behind the incumbent Labour MP Jeffrey Ennis and the Liberal Democrat candidate.[8] The following year, he was elected as a councillor for Hendon ward on the Barnet London Borough Council.[9] Offord was re-elected in 2006 and became the deputy leader of the council.[10]
In 2010, he was elected as MP for Hendon by a majority of 106 votes.[11] The seat had previously been held by Labour MP Andrew Dismore since 1997.[5] The following year, he was one of 81 Conservative MPs who rebelled against the government by voting for a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union.[12] Offord was one of 136 Conservative MPs to vote against the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 which legalised same-sex marriage in England and Wales.[13] He voted against the Act as he felt that marriage should only between a man and a woman and that it could eventually lead to the legalisation of polygamy.[14] He was also one of 21 MPs to vote against LGBT-inclusive sex and relationship education from primary school.[15]
Offord married Claire Michelle Rowles in 2010.[2][26] She was a Conservative councillor for the Hungerford & Kintbury ward on West Berkshire Council and former solicitor.[27][28] He is a Christian.[4]
