Nigel Farage brands Reform activist’s ‘racist’ jibe a ‘comedy act’ as he blames ‘start-up party’ for growing controversy
NIGEL Farage tonight branded a Reform activist’s “racist ” jibe a “comedy act” as he fought against the growing controversy swirling around his “start-up” party.
The Reform UK party leader appeared on BBC’s Question Time to face a barrage of angry questions from the audience.
Reform volunteer Andrew Parker was recorded by Channel 4 News in Clacton suggesting migrants should be shot by soldiers as they arrive on UK beaches and calling Prime Minister Rishi Sunak an “effing p***”.
Mr Sunak – the country’s first British-Asian PM – spoke of his disgust at the comments during a visit to a school in Teesside on Friday.
Mr Farage branded the remarks “reprehensible” when the undercover footage emerged on Thursday night – but then decried it a “complete and total setup” on Question Time.
The 60-year-old said he was “dismayed” by the “appalling” comments and has sought to distance himself from the campaigner.
The Reform leader claimed the activist was simply “someone who turned up to help” and “has nothing to do with the party”.
He branded the shocking incident a “total and utter set up” and stressed he hasn’t been leader for long after “inheriting a start-up”.
Mr Farage claimed the canvasser was an “alter ego”.
He added: “This was designed to hurt us, and sadly some people believe it.”
“What I have no doubt it about is this guy was in his alter ego. I’ve even found now on TikTok this guy doing Alf Garnett type stuff.
“This was a comedy act which was designed to hurt us and sadly some people believe it.
“Let me promise you I want nothing to do with people like him and he is nothing to do with us.
“He’s someone who turned up we didn’t know who he was and by sheer coincidence he happened to get teamed up with Channel 4, who he’d worked for in the past.”
Channel 4 has strongly denied claims it was a “set up”.
During the show, Mr Farage continued to repeat that it was a “set-up” and a deliberate attempt to smear Reform.
Writing on X this morning, Mr Farage had already shared a link to Mr Parker’s acting page, saying “this whole episode does not add up”.
The Reform leader tonight continued: “It turns out that the man who did this was an actor.
“He was contacted by the Telegraph this morning and denied he was an actor.
“From the minute he turned up in that office in Clacton and I saw him, he was acting from the very start.”
The Reform Leader was also quizzed on what he had done to remove representatives of his party exposed for making racist comments.
This was a comedy act which was designed to hurt us and sadly some people believe it
Nigel Farage
Presenter Fiona Bruce read him racist or xenophobic comments made by Reform candidates, including Leslie Lilley, a candidate for Southend East and Rochford; Edward Oakenfull, candidate for Derbyshire Dales; and Robert Lomas candidate for Barnsley North.
But Mr Farage said that those who have made controversial comments have been disowned “in most cases”.
“I wouldn’t want anything to do with [these candidates],” he says, and confirms he has withdrawn his support from them.
Mr Farage said he has had problems with the vetting company Reform hired, and claims it is clear the “establishment” does not want him and his party to do well.
He said: “I inherited a start up party and in most of these cases, the candidates have been removed.
“I paid a professional vetting company to weed this out and it wasn’t done – every party has problems like this.
“I wouldn’t have anything to do with them.”
RACISM STORM
Andrew Parker has since apologised for the comments, and said he was “goaded on” and made the remarks in “the head of the moment”
He told Sky News he was “set up and set up good and proper”.
“It’s proper taught me a lesson – I was a total fool,” he added.
Earlier today, Mr Sunak said he was hurt and angered by the comments and that his two daughters had to hear them.
He said Mr Farage had “some questions to answer”.
The Tory leader said: “My two daughters have to see and hear Reform people who campaign for Nigel Farage calling me an effing p***.
“It hurts and it makes me angry, and I think he has some questions to answer. I don’t repeat those words lightly.
“I do so deliberately, because this is too important not to call out clearly for what it is.”
Mr Sunak has spoken during the campaign at his pride of leading the UK after his grandparents came from India with very little.
He added: “When you see Reform candidates and campaigners seemingly using racist and misogynistic language and opinion, seemingly without challenge, I think it tells you something about the culture in the Reform party.”
Regarding the incident, a spokesperson for Channel 4 said: “We strongly stand by our rigorous and duly impartial journalism which speaks for itself.
“We met Mr Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters, where he was a Reform party canvasser.
“We did not pay the Reform UK canvasser or anyone else in this report. Mr Parker was not known to Channel 4 News and was filmed covertly via the undercover operation.”