United Kingdom: Reform UK party members filmed on hidden camera making racist remarks

Members and candidates of the British anti-immigration party Reform UK were filmed on a hidden camera making racist remarks, according to extracts from a report which led the party to condemn this behavior on Thursday. ITV's investigation, 'Undercover: A Year in Reform', due to be broadcast in full on Sunday, follows the party's candidates and local councilors in May's local elections, as well as across four

In one of the extracts broadcast on X on Wednesday evening, we can hear a party councilor, elected from south London, describing black children as “animals”. Another local Reform UK councilor, elected near Birmingham (central England) claims that a neighborhood is “infested” by Asian families, whom he describes as “absolute parasites”. In this extract, several party candidates also make sexist remarks against a Reform UK candidate.

“In some cases, suspensions have been imposed”

In a statement sent to AFP on Thursday, a party spokesperson said there was “no place for racism within Reform UK”. “When members, activists or elected officials have clearly engaged in inappropriate behavior, investigations have been opened,” he said, adding that “in certain cases, suspensions have been issued and disciplinary procedures are ongoing.”

Reform UK said it had “strengthened and prioritized its candidate selection procedures”. But “from time to time, a handful of individuals who do not share our values ​​still manage to get through this selection stage,” recognized the nationalist group. The people who appear in these extracts have been suspended or left Reform UK, depending on the party.

This party is losing momentum after having been at the top of voting intentions in the polls for months. It nevertheless remains second, behind Labor and ahead of the Conservatives, according to a poll carried out at the beginning of October by the More in Common institute. Reform UK is also at the center of a police investigation into its funding, and proceedings are targeting Nigel Farage for an undeclared donation of five million pounds. He denies any illegal action.