An undercover investigation by Channel 4 News has revealed disturbing instances of racist language and homophobic behavior within the Reform UK campaign in Clacton, where Nigel Farage is contesting a seat. The investigation also suggests that the party has potentially breached local electoral campaign spending limits.

 

Filming for Channel 4 News was conducted secretly within the Reform UK campaign in Clacton, concluding just last week. The footage exposes a Reform UK canvasser making openly racist and Islamophobic remarks to potential voters while representing the party. Additionally, it captures a conversation involving George Jones, a veteran of UKIP and the Brexit Party who now organizes events for Mr. Farage’s campaign, Rob Bates, a senior Reform UK campaigner, and Roger Gravett, Reform UK’s regional manager for London and candidate for Tottenham.

 

The conversation reveals apparent concerns over campaign spending limits. Gravett refers to the legal spending limit for a single seat campaign, saying, “A short campaign you’ve got, I don’t know, twenty grand or whatever it is, the figure.” Bates responds, “We’ve spent double that already, don’t worry,” while Jones adds, “It’s twenty grand minus… It’s six for VAT. So actually it’s only f****** fifteen.” Bates later distanced himself from his comment, claiming it was a joke and that he is not responsible for campaign spending. Reform UK has maintained that their campaign spending is “well within the legal spending limits.”

 

The investigation also highlights the behavior of Andrew Parker, a Reform UK canvasser who claims to know Nigel Farage. During a car ride to canvass potential voters, Parker advises the undercover investigator on how to approach discussions about immigration, emphasizing the use of the term “illegal.” Parker makes several offensive comments about Muslims and suggests extreme measures for dealing with immigration, such as using army recruits for “target practice” on people arriving by boat. He also expresses derogatory views about Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and advises a paramedic to deny oxygen to certain patients.

 

The footage also features senior campaign figures discussing their vision for the future under a Reform UK government. Jones explains why Reform UK chose Clacton, referring to it as “Proper England,” and makes derogatory remarks about London’s multicultural population. He also makes homophobic comments about a police car displaying a Pride flag, criticizing the police for promoting what he describes as “degenerate” symbols instead of focusing on crime.

 

Nigel Farage, responding to the investigation’s findings, expressed dismay at the reported comments and announced that the individuals involved would no longer be part of the campaign. He emphasized that the sentiments expressed by the individuals do not reflect his views or those of Reform UK. Farage also questioned whether Channel 4 was applying the same scrutiny to volunteers from other political parties, pointing out a recent incident involving a Labour candidate in Clacton who had posted a racist message on social media.

 

Peter Harris, Reform UK’s Agent and Campaign Manager in Clacton, also condemned the reported comments and assured that the campaign is well within legal spending limits. He emphasized that any individuals identified as holding unacceptable views would not be welcome in the campaign. Harris pointed to the Labour candidate’s racist post as evidence that no political party is perfect.

 

Andrew Parker issued a separate statement apologizing to Nigel Farage and Reform UK for any harm his personal views may have caused. He clarified that his comments did not reflect the views of Farage or the party and expressed his support for Reform UK’s stance on illegal immigration.

 

This investigation comes as new MRP polling from Electoral Calculus predicts that Reform UK could win up to 18 seats in the upcoming election. The revelations raise significant questions about the conduct and policies of the Reform UK campaign in Clacton, underscoring the need for accountability and transparency in political campaigns.

 

 

Credit: Channel 4 News 2024-06-29

 

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No surprises at all.

 

The remarks made by the Reform UK member about PM Rishi Sunak were not ‘derogatory’ they were overtly racist.

 

Brace for incoming whataboutary from low and to the right.

 

I didn't see the C4 programme.

 

There seems to be considerable speculation that "Andrew Parker" was an actor.

Here we go again! The usual witch hunting by those threatened, and supported by IMO craven media.

46 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Here we go again! The usual witch hunting by those threatened, and supported by IMO craven media.

So you don't mind the comments and blame the media for factual reporting.

4 minutes ago, stevenl said:

So you don't mind the comments and blame the media for factual reporting.

I'm sure that if we investigated any organisation we could find some of that.

If women today could hear the conversations us young men had more than a few decades ago they'd be coming for us with pitchforks and a tumbril.

 

IMO it's politically driven garbage.

10 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm sure that if we investigated any organisation we could find some of that.

If women today could hear the conversations us young men had more than a few decades ago they'd be coming for us with pitchforks and a tumbril.

 

IMO it's politically driven garbage.

You don't like this because you don't mind the comments, probably agree with them.

What you said 50 years ago has no bearing on this at all.

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

No surprises at all.

 

The remarks made by the Reform UK member about PM Rishi Sunak were not ‘derogatory’ they were overtly racist.

 

Brace for incoming whataboutary from low and to the right.

 

 

There are a lot of Jessie Smollet vibes about this one.  The canvasser is an actor who has previously done some work with C4.  The language he used is simply too extreme to the extent it is unbelievable.   I'd hold off making judgements until the truth actually comes out. 

51 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

There are a lot of Jessie Smollet vibes about this one.  The canvasser is an actor who has previously done some work with C4.  The language he used is simply too extreme to the extent it is unbelievable.   I'd hold off making judgements until the truth actually comes out. 

In the meantime you might want to produce some links.

19 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

In the meantime you might want to produce some links.

 

https://www.mandy.com/u/andrew-parker-1/

 

Fully paid up equity member.   Equity were very quick to judge Laurence Fox for making sensible statements on Question time that were nowhere near the level of bile this guy stated.   The fact they are being so quiet about this one is... unusual.

 

Like I said, it has Jessie Smollet vibes about it.

Orchestrated smear campaign and entrapment, it is Ch 4 though!

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

You don't like this because you don't mind the comments, probably agree with them.

What you said 50 years ago has no bearing on this at all.

I have no idea what was actually said, but It's obvious to me that they are being used as a weapon against the party. Typical lefty activity IMO.

People still think the way we did 50 years ago, they just don't say it in public any more.

 

BTW, I think Sunak is a creep and should be consigned to the dustbin of history. I can understand someone rubbishing him.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Gzg9ssvc4M

 

 

Just shows you how far they will go to stop Farage

 

 

 

 

https://news.sky.com/story/reform-canvasser-in-pm-racism-row-says-he-was-a-total-fool-13160491

 

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Here we go again! The usual witch hunting by those threatened, and supported by IMO craven media.

Good to hear from our resident expert on all things craven

 

1 hour ago, proton said:

Orchestrated smear campaign and entrapment, it is Ch 4 though!

 

Quoting people using their own words is not a smear campaign. Farage is well known for his despicable BS as well as attracting low life's No surprise he has failed seven times to become a M.P. Unfortunately some in UK are craping the bottom of the barrel, Farage may win this time round.

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

In the meantime you might want to produce some links.

He did, look forward to your comments on this - not going to just ignore it are we?

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

So you don't mind the comments and blame the media for factual reporting.

Why did channel 4 ONLY investigate the Reform party and not the other parties?

 

I blame the media for not investigating ALL of the political parties.

13 minutes ago, mokwit said:

He did, look forward to your comments on this - not going to just ignore it are we?

 
So let’s pretend the racist was not a Reform Activist.

10 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Why did channel 4 ONLY investigate the Reform party and not the other parties?

 

I blame the media for not investigating ALL of the political parties.

There have been news reports exposing dodgy characters in all of the main parties.

 

 

Only Reform resorts to blaming 

the media for reporting facts

30 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

 
So let’s pretend the racist was not a Reform Activist.

I believe he was an actor hired by channel 4 to smear Farage, and not a Reform activist.

1 hour ago, simple1 said:

 

Quoting people using their own words is not a smear campaign. Farage is well known for his despicable BS as well as attracting low life's No surprise he has failed seven times to become a M.P. Unfortunately some in UK are craping the bottom of the barrel, Farage may win this time round.

 

You would be against him being from a muslim family, he is against Islamification and mass immigration. We have had 10 million immigrants plus their offspring since 1997 which has caused all sorts of social problems, caused a housing crisis, NHS crisis and over crowded schools. If the odd nasty word gets used against this madness that's not surprising, people can only take so much of being ignored, and watching their country ruined.

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There have been news reports exposing dodgy characters in all of the main parties.

 

 

Only Reform resorts to blaming 

the media for reporting facts

 

Smear campaigns and entrapment with planted actors are not facts, but gutter journalism. 

15 minutes ago, proton said:

 

Smear campaigns and entrapment with planted actors are not facts, but gutter journalism. 

He gets his "facts" from The Guardian.

17 minutes ago, mokwit said:

He gets his "facts" from The Guardian.

I got the facts on this from Channel 4.

 

The racist was an campaigner for Reform.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

I believe he was an actor hired by channel 4 to smear Farage, and not a Reform activist.

You can believe what you like.

 

Where’s your evidence?

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

I got the facts on this from Channel 4.

 

The racist was an campaigner for Reform.

 

 

 

 

"facts" and Channel 4. OK.

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You can believe what you like.

 

Where’s your evidence?

Same as Seppius

 

9 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I got the facts on this from Channel 4.

 

The racist was an campaigner for Reform.

 

 

 

 

 

So you desperately want to believe, while supporting in the past the anti semitism of Labour candidates like that traitor comrade Corbyn.

19 minutes ago, proton said:

 

So you desperately want to believe, while supporting in the past the anti semitism of Labour candidates like that traitor comrade Corbyn.

Breaks glass on emergency ‘Corbyn’ pull switch.

 

Without noticing Corbyn is not a Labour candidate …… and:

 

 

8 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

 

Brace for incoming whataboutary from low and to the right.

 

 

39 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Same as Seppius

 

So because he has done some two-bit low rent acting jobs in the past he can't be a racist campaigner for Farage?

Righty ho.

The deflection coming from the right is hilarious.