Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage says he’s appalled to discover members of his party have been making racist and homophobic comments on the campaign trail.
The UK General Election is set to take place on 4th July, and Farage who was recently installed as the leader of the right-wing conservative party is hoping to establish Reform as a new force in British politics.
A documentary by UK broadcaster Channel 4 has caught several members of the party making racist and homophobic comments while on the campaign trail.
The filmmakers captured George Jones, who runs events for the party, calling a Pride flag displayed on a police car a “f***ing degenerate flag”.
“You see that f**king degenerate flag on the front bonnet? What are the old bill doing promoting that crap? They should be out catching nonces, not promoting the f*****s,” he was reported as saying.
They also filed a party organiser teaching door knockers to stir up sentiment against immigrants.
“The immigration thing, use the word ‘illegal’. Emphasise ‘illegal’ especially if you open the door and there’s a bunch of p***s,” canvasser Andrew Parker reportedly said.
The same man was also filmed making vile and racist slurs about current British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
“I’ve always been a Tory voter,” Parker reportedly told the undercover investigator. “But what annoys me is that f**king p*** we’ve got in. What good is he? He’s… f**king useless.”
He was also caught on camera saying illegal immigrants should be shot and used as target practice by army recruits, and later describes Islam as a “cult”.
Parker later responded saying the party and Farage would have been unaware of his personal views on immigration. He said he would like to apologise if any of his views had brought the party or its leaders into disrepute.
Farage told the broadcaster he was appalled by the comments.
“I am dismayed by the reported comments of a handful of people associated with my local campaign, particularly those who are volunteers. They will no longer be with the campaign,” Farage said.
“The appalling sentiments expressed by some in these exchanges bear no relation to my own views, those of the vast majority of our supporters or Reform UK policy. Some of the language used was reprehensible.”
Party claims comments were made by an actor planted by the broadcaster
Later during an appearance on the BBC program Question Time Farage appeared to suggest that Parker was an “actor” who had been planted to “set up” the party.
“‘This is a total and utter setup that has been leapt on, of course, by our political opponents, leapt on by most of the mainstream media.” Farage told the program.
Farage was also read a series of comments made by candidates that have been labeled racist including one candidate who was reported as saying he wanted to “slaughter” migrants and their families.
The political leader said he thought those particular comments were “criminal” and that party had disowned the candidates making racist and xenophobic comments.
Farage said he didn’t know why the party had accepted them as candidates, and said the company they had hired to check candidates backgrounds had not done a good enough job.
Nigel Farage said he had inherited the party, describing it as “a start-up.”
“I inherited this. It was a start-up party. I paid a professional London vetting company to weed this out. The work wasn’t done.” he said.
One audience member responded saying he knew lots of people who have start-up businesses, but none of them employed racists.
While Farage was elected leader of the party on 3rd June, his association with the party goes back much further. He was previously leader from 2019 until 2021 when it was known as the Brexit Party.
Broadcaster denies the interaction was a set up
Reform UK have filed an official complaint with the UK Electoral Commission accusing Channel 4 of electoral interference, alleging that they had set up the interaction with Andrew Parker.
Parker has however told media outlets that while he has worked as an actor, he joined the party because he believes in their message.
Broadcaster Channel 4 News has also denied the accusation.
“We strongly stand by our rigorous and duly impartial journalism which speaks for itself.
“We met Mr Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters, where he was a Reform party canvasser.
“We did not pay the Reform UK canvasser or anyone else in this report. Mr Parker was not known to Channel 4 News and was filmed covertly via the undercover operation.” a spokesperson said.
