A Reform official helping to run Nigel Farage’s general election campaign was sacked on Friday as a racism and homophobia row engulfed the party with just days to go before voters head to the polls.
Reform Chairman Richard Tice told i that George Jones, who was running events for Mr Farage’s campaign, had been sacked after he was secretly recorded in a conversation that involved homophobic and racist comments.
Rob Bates, a senior Reform UK campaigner, and Roger Gravett, Reform UK’s regional manager for London and candidate in Tottenham, north London – who were present but did not repeat Mr Jones’ views – were also told to stop campaigning, according to Mr Tice.
“They are gone. They are done. Out of the party,” he told i.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Mr Bates said he had not been sacked or told not to campaign for Reform.
It comes after Mr Jones told a Channel 4 News undercover investigator why Reform UK had chosen Clacton-on-Sea as the seat Mr Farage would contest.
He said: “Have a look around. Proper England. You know what I mean? Proper English. 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 about to f**king knife you in the face”.
Later, when joined by Mr Bates and Mr Gravett, Mr Jones mocked a passing police car that was displaying a Pride flag.
He said: “You see that f**king degenerate flag on the front bonnet? What are the old bill doing promoting that crap? They should be out catching nonces not promoting the f**kers.”
When discussing their vision for a 2029 Reform government, Mr Jones is heard saying how the party should “bring back the noose” and turn police officers into “paramilitaries”.
The other two men did not repeat his views. A spokesperson for Mr Bates said he had made a joke about Reform’s electoral spending challenges and had not made any racist or homophobic remarks.
In an interview on ITV’s Loose Women, Mr Farage said his events manager had made the comments because he “watched England play football” and was drunk.
“Nobody has fought harder against the far right in British politics than me,” Mr Farage added.
“I almost single-handedly destroyed the British National Party. I’ve always said I don’t want anyone supporting me who’s got prejudices. They’re gone.”
Mr Tice did not comment on whether Reform had removed its support for Mr Gravett in his Tottenham campaign. While his name remains on the party’s website as the party’s candidate in the constituency, his photograph and biography are no longer shown.
They are not the only Reform representatives to make controversial remarks during the campaign. Today, i revealed that James Gunn, who is standing as the party’s candidate in Oxford West and Abingdon, said that “girls should be aware promiscuity is not attractive” and that women cannot “behave in the same way” as men.
In an interview with i, he also repeated contentious claims around Covid-19, including a suggestion that vaccines could “get something really nasty into a body”.
Since Channel 4 News’ investigation was aired on Thursday evening, Reform’s campaign has been thrown into turmoil with Mr Tice adding that it has had to focus on defending the allegations in the report, which showed a canvasser named Andrew Parker making a series of racist comments.
The Reform chairman controversially accused Channel 4 News of “potentially the greatest scandal in broadcast journalism”, claiming that Mr Parker was hired as an actor to take part in its investigation. The canvasser has strenuously denied this.
“We’re busy dealing with potentially the greatest scandal in broadcasting journalism,” said Mr Tice. “It is quite clear Channel 4 News has used an actor, who is using his acting voice to lie about something. And it turns out his [Mr Parker’s] specialty is secret filming.
“This is an absolute scandal of the greatest proportions. I believe that this is electoral interference, and I believe that Channel 4 has been caught with its pants down.”
The claims from Mr Tice, who is standing as a candidate in the Boston and Skegness constituency, have also been firmly denied by Channel 4 News.
Mr Parker was filmed while canvassing in the Essex seaside constituency where Mr Farage is making his eighth attempt to become an MP.
He told a Channel 4 News undercover reporter that he had always been a Conservative Party voter, but that “what annoys me is that f**king P**i we’ve got in”.
The comment, aimed at Rishi Sunak’s Indian heritage, was slammed by the Prime Minister.
On a campaign visit to a school in Teesside, Mr Sunak told reporters: “My two daughters have to see and hear Reform people who campaign for Nigel Farage calling me an effing p**i. It hurts and it makes me angry, and I think he has some questions to answer.”
Speaking to GB News, Mr Parker claimed that he was goaded by the undercover reporter and that he made the comments in a “jokey” atmosphere. He absolutely rejected any suggestion that he was a “paid actor” hired to make Reform look bad.
A spokesperson for Channel 4 News 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.”
Responding to the denial from Channel 4 News, Mr Tice added: “Of course they’re not going to admit it. Don’t be ridiculous.
“The guy’s an actor. Why, if you’re genuine, why would you not use your normal voice when you’re volunteering at the weekend? Why would you use your acting voice?
“Why would you lie about your profession and say that you’re a property developer when you’re an actor and your specialty is secret filming?”
Over the past week Reform’s surge in the polls has stalled, with the latest BMG Research survey for i showing the party had slipped three points to 16 per cent, five points behind the Conservative Party. Labour maintains its lead over the Tories on 42 per cent.
The slip in the polls came following Mr Farage’s controversial comments that the West and Nato “provoked” Vladimir Putin into his illegal war in Ukraine.
However, Mr Tice denied his party’s momentum in the general election had stalled.
“Polls go up and down,” said Mr Tice. “That’s the reality. No one is asking me about Ukraine on the doorstep.
“Just look at our campaign event on Thursday in Sunderland. At midday, 1,000 showed up, and we’re holding another big rally this Sunday in Birmingham.
“There are a hell of a lot of shy Reformers out there, of that there is absolutely no doubt.”
Labour has sought to stay out of the controversy over Reform’s campaigners – and is not planning to step up campaigning against the party, unlike the Conservatives.
A senior party source told i: “The thing about Reform is they are basically just the result of Tory psychodrama, so we don’t think it is our job to offer a take that on.”
Shadow Cabinet minister Jonathan Ashworth refused to say whether he thought Nigel Farage himself holds racist opinions, saying: “Nigel Farage is standing for election, he is allowed to express his views.
“I don’t particularly know Nigel Farage other than what I’ve seen on the TV, so I can only say things as I find.”
Asked whether Labour had given up on persuading Reform voters to switch, Mr Ashworth replied: “We are working hard to win the trust of every voter – whether that is Reform, whether that is the Green party, whether it is Scottish Nationals, Plaid – we are working hard to win the votes of every single voter.”
Election 2024
The general election campaign has finished and polling day has seen the Labour Party romp to an impressive win over Rishi Sunak‘s Tories.
Sir Keir Starmer and other party leaders have battled to win votes over six weeks, and i‘s election live blog covered every result as it happened. Tory big beasts from Penny Mordaunt to Grant Shapps saw big losses, while Jeremy Corbyn secured the win in Islington North.
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK also outdid expectations with four MPs elected.
But what happens next as Labour win? Follow the i‘s coverage of Starmer’s next moves as the new Prime Minister.