Channel 4 News has carried out an undercover investigation into the Reform UK campaign in Clacton, revealing instances of racist language and an admission that the party had breached local election campaign spending limits in the seat.
Undercover investigators are filming for Channel 4 News at the Reform UK campaign in Clacton, with filming ending last week.
Recorded footage shows a Reform UK canvasser openly making racist and Islamophobic comments to potential voters in the field, as he represents the party.
It also includes footage of a conversation between: George Jones, a UKIP and Brexit Party veteran now hosting an event for Mr Farage’s campaign; Rob Bates, senior campaigner at Reform UK; and Roger Gravett, UK Reform regional manager for London and Tottenham candidate.
EXCLUSIVE: We went undercover at Nigel Farage’s Reform UK campaign in Clacton and found evidence of anti-migrant rhetoric, homophobia and one canvasser making racist and offensive comments. As @DarshnaSoni report. pic.twitter.com/VkhVLczjcw
– Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) June 27, 2024
Central to the footage is a discussion of the challenges seen in the campaign, including local spending restrictions.
Referring to the legal spending limit for a campaign in a single seat, Mr. Gravett said: “A short campaign you have got, I don’t know, twenty grand or whatever, figure”.
In response, Mr Bates was heard to say: “We’ve spent double that, don’t worry”, before Mr Jones added: “That’s twenty grand minus … That’s six for VAT. So it’s actually only fifteen.
Mr Bates has since retracted his comments, later telling Channel 4 News it was a joke and he was not responsible for the campaign spending. UK reform against campaign spending programs “well within legal spending limits”.
UK reform canvasser calls for ‘target training’ for people arriving by boat
Undercover investigators went on the campaign trail with UK Reform canvasser, Andrew Parker, who said he knew Nigel Farage.
In the car going to look for potential voters, Mr. Parker advised the undercover investigator on what to say at the door.
“In terms of immigration, use the word ‘illegal’. It means ‘illegal’ especially if you open the door and there’s a lot of p****.
Commenting on his views on Muslims and what the party would do at the mosque, Mr. Parker told undercover investigators:
“I’m sick, miss. Sick m*****f******”, adding: “It’s a cult. I tell you, if you don’t know about Islam, it is the most disgusting cult. “We kicked all the Muslims out of the mosque and turned it into a Wetherspoons.”
In the same conversation, Mr Parker described Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as a “f****** p***”.
“I’ve always been a Tory voter,” he said, “but what bothers me is that we’ve gone in. What good is he? You say, you know. He’s just wet. F****** no good”.
Speaking to prospective voters on the doorstep, Mr Parker was also heard expressing his views on how to stop the ship, suggesting army recruits should do “target practice”.
“You got a Deal, didn’t you. Place near Dover. army recruitment. Get young recruits there, yeah, with guns on the damn beach, target practice. F****** just shoot. That’s what the Greeks do… You know about it . The Greeks take a load of it. Round f***** up. And you have this bastard running our country.”
He then told a man who said he was a paramedic to refuse oxygen to a patient in an ambulance if he was “a lot”.
“And help us. You’re a paramedic. As many as you can in an ambulance, just don’t put oxygen on the bastard. Use something else. You know where I’m from”, he said.
UK Reform campaign figures reflect the vision
The program reports back to a scene in a Clacton pub where senior campaign figures met. Mr Jones told undercover investigators why Reform UK chose Clacton, saying:
“Look. Proper English. Do you know my passion? Proper English. It’s not like in London when you’re a foreigner in your own country, and if you say ‘hello’ to someone, they look like they’re going to stick a knife in your face”.
Later, joined by Mr Gravett and Mr Bates, Mr Jones made homophobic comments, as a police car drove past displaying a Pride flag.
“You see that broken flag on the front hood? Is the old bill doing that crap promotion? They should be out holding the nonces not promoting the f******.
Later, outlining his vision for the future Reform government, Mr Gravett was heard saying: “When we form a government in 2029, we can change a lot of things”.
In response, Mr Jones was heard saying “our police officers are going to be paramilitary, they are not going to be police” and UK Reform should “bring back the noose”.
Today’s report from Channel 4 News comes amid a new MRP poll from Electoral Calculus, which predicts Reform UK could win up to 18 seats in next week’s election.
Speaking on Channel 4 News tonight, Mr Nigel Farage said:
“I am disappointed by the comments reported by some people associated with the local campaign, especially those who volunteered. They will no longer participate in the campaign.
“The appalling sentiments expressed by some in this exchange have nothing to do with my own views, which the majority support or the policy of the English Reformation. Some of the language used was reprehensible.
“Reform UK is a party for everyone who believes in Britain. I am proud that supporters, candidates and the national campaign team come from all backgrounds and identities.
“I want to know whether Channel 4 is subjecting grassroots volunteers of all political parties to the same subterfuges, or whether Reform UK has been singled out for special attention.
“For example, have they covered up a racist social media post by a Labor candidate in Clacton who has now been ousted to the Midlands?
“With just one week to go before polling day, we will not allow this to distract us from our mission to offer voters a real alternative to the establishment parties that have corrupted Britain.”
In a statement to Channel 4 News tonight, Mr Peter Harris said:
“As UK Reform Agent and Campaign Manager in Clacton, I am shocked by these reported comments. All parties in this short campaign will have to overcome the challenge of working with many activists who have not met before.
“Each of the individuals we have identified made unacceptable comments and held those views are not welcome in our campaign. We are campaigning to represent all voters in Clacton.
“There is no perfect political party. Just ask the Labor candidate in Clacton, who appears to have been exiled from Essex after it emerged he was behind racist social media posts.
“As for the suggestion that our campaign has overspent; I can assure everyone that this is absolutely not true.
We are also within legal limits and, like all parties, returns will be sent as soon as the poll closes.
A statement from Mr Andrew Parker to Channel 4 News:
“I am making this statement in response to your letter informing me of your intention to broadcast the secret recording you made of me while canvassing for the Reform Party.
“I want to make it clear that neither Nigel Farage nor the Reform Party is aware of his personal views on immigration.
“I have never discussed Immigration with Nigel Farage or the Reform Party and any comments made on the record are my personal views on any topic I comment on. Shortly before I was sent to the canvass, I discussed my personal views with representatives of the Reform Party or Nigel Farage.
“Therefore I am deeply sorry to Nigel Farage and the Reform Party that my personal opinion has taken a bad view and damaged their reputation because this was not my intention. I offered to help the Reform Party in canvassing because I believe that they are the only party that offers the British voters a practical solution to the immigration problem illegal in the UK.
Investigation produced in association with Lee Sorrell Media.