Police confirm no criminal offences committed by Reform UK activists after undercover investigation
Essex Police have confirmed that no criminal offences were committed by Reform UK activists campaigning for Nigel Farage
PA
Essex Police have confirmed that no criminal offences were committed by Reform UK activists campaigning for Nigel Farage.
The activists were filmed by an undercover journalist for Channel 4, with footage showing canvasser Andrew Parker using a racial slur about Rishi Sunak.
The force said in a statement: “Having assessed the comments made during a Channel 4 news programme, and all other information available to us, we have concluded that no criminal offences have taken place.”
Parker also suggested migrants arriving in the UK on small boats should be used as “target practice”.
Essex Police have confirmed that no criminal offences were committed by Reform UK activists campaigning for Nigel Farage
PA
Another activist described the Pride flag as “degenerate” and suggested members of the LGBT community are paedophiles.
Farage claimed he was the victim of a stitch-up because Parker is an actor.
But Parker insisted he was there as a Reform activist and Channel 4 said he was “not known” to the broadcaster before being “filmed covertly via the undercover operation”.
The investigation also uncovered a seeming admission the party breached the local electoral campaign spending limit in Clacton.
In a statement at the time of the investigation's publication, 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.
"Reform UK is a party for everybody who believes in Britain. I am proud that our supporters, candidates and national campaign team come from all backgrounds and identities.
"I would be interested to know whether Channel 4 is subjecting the grassroots volunteers of all the political parties to similar subterfuges, or whether Reform UK has been singled out for special attention.
"For instance, have they covered the grotesquely racist social media post by Labour’s candidate in Clacton who has now apparently been banished to the Midlands?
"Just one week before polling day, we will not allow this to distract us from our mission to give voters a real alternative to the establishment parties that have broken Britain."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the revelations were a "test of leadership" for Farage.
He told the BBC he was "shocked by what I heard in the report, clearly racist, and I think this is a test of leadership".
When it was put to him that Farage had "distanced himself" from the comments, Starmer added: "Well he has, but you have to ask the question why so many people who are supporting Reform seem to be exposed in this particular way.
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"It’s for a leader to change his or her party, to make sure the culture is right, and the standards are understood by everybody within the party.
"That’s why I’ve changed the Labour Party, that’s why I’ve put it to a party that says: ‘Country first, party second'."