NIGEL Farage is refusing to appear on the BBC until the broadcaster apologises for allowing members of the public to ask him questions during a special episode of Question Time.
On Friday night the Reform UK leader took part in a BBC Question Time Leaders’ Special, which was hastily organised by the BBC specifically to accommodate Farage.
However, it appears he did not enjoy being taken to task by members of the public over repeated instances of Reform candidates being involved in allegations of racism and homophobia.
During the broadcast Farage was questioned about footage published by Channel 4 which showed Reform activist Andrew Parker in Clacton – where Farage is running to be an MP – making a racist remark about the Prime Minister and claiming that migrants coming over on small boats should be used for “target practice”.
However, the audience laughed at Farage’s insistence that the man was a paid actor after he refused to apologise on behalf of the party.
He was also asked why his party “attracts racists and extremists”.
Following the broadcast, Farage said the audience was rigged and that they “were not ordinary members of the public”.
“They hand-picked a prominent pro-Palestine activist & even a BBC TV director to attack me,” he said.
BBC rules state that taking part in a protest does not rule someone out from applying to be in the Question Time audience.
It is also understood that there were no BBC staff members in the audience.
Still, Farage added: “I have just been invited to appear on Laura Kuenssberg. I’m refusing until the BBC apologises for their dishonest Question Time audience.
“Our state broadcaster has behaved like a political actor throughout this election. Reform will be campaigning vigorously to abolish the licence fee.”
It comes after Reform UK reported Channel 4 to the elections watchdog, claiming the broadcaster used an actor as a “plant” in its undercover investigation into his campaign.
The broadcaster has strenuously denied that Parker was paid by or known to Channel 4 News before the expose.
However, in a letter to the Electoral Commission, Reform accused Channel 4 of “election interference”.
“It is wholly unbelievable that by complete coincidence Channel 4 were performing an undercover investigation and by chance were paired up to go canvassing with a man who was pretending to be someone else, using a false voice and saying almost exclusively racist and bigoted remarks,” said Reform’s party secretary Adam Richardson.
“The Channel 4 broadcast has clearly been made to harm Reform UK during an election period and this cannot be described as anything short of election interference.”
The party said it was also planning to demand an investigation by broadcasting regulator Ofcom.
Mr Parker told the PA news agency he was “glad” that Channel 4 was being reported to the Electoral Commission.
He declined to say whether he had been paid to appear in the footage, instead telling the PA news agency that “it’ll all come out in the papers, what’ll come out is the truth”.
Parker declined to comment further.
