NIGEL Farage’s Reform UK are facing criticism after a campaigner was filmed saying small boats migrants should be used as “target practice” one week out from the General Election.
An undercover Channel 4 reporter recorded one canvasser describing the Pride flag as a “degenerate” ensign and suggesting members of the LGBT+ community are paedophiles.
Farage has since said he was “dismayed” by the comments, describing them as “appalling sentiments”.
EXCLUSIVE: We’ve gone undercover inside Nigel Farage’s Reform UK campaign in Clacton and found evidence of anti-migrant rhetoric, homophobia and one canvasser making racist and offensive remarks. As @DarshnaSoni reports. pic.twitter.com/VkhVLczjcw
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) June 27, 2024
The remarks on migrants were made by canvasser Andrew Parker, who said army recruits should use the arrival of small boats in Kent as “target practice,” as well as using a racial slur against Rishi Sunak and labelling Islam a “disgusting cult”.
In a statement sent to Channel 4 news, Parker said: “I would like to make it clear that neither Nigel Farage personally nor the Reform Party are aware of my personal views on immigration.”
He added: “I have never discussed immigration with either Nigel Farage or the Reform party and that any comments made by me during those recordings are my own personal views on any subject I commented on.
“At no time before I was sent out to canvass did I discuss my personal views with any representative of the Reform party UK or Nigel Farage.
“I would therefore like to apologise profusely to Nigel Farage and the Reform party if my personal views have reflected badly on them and brought them into disrepute as this was not my intention.”
Farage said: “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.
“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.”
In a separate post on Twitter/X on Friday morning, Farage said: "Andrew Parker was the man that made the astonishing racial comments that have given us so much negative coverage.
"We now learn that he is an actor by profession. His own website says he is 'well spoken' but from the moment he arrived in Clacton he was doing what he calls 'rough speaking'. This whole episode does not add up."
On the same day, the Guardian reported that Reform UK withdrew support from its Basingstoke, Hampshire, candidate Raymond Saint, who allegedly appeared on a list of BNP members published on the website WikiLeaks more than a decade ago.
Farage has previously said he had an “absolute rule” to block anyone linked to the BNP or similar organisations from being a member of the party
