Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has expressed his anger and hurt after an undercover investigation revealed a Reform UK campaigner using a racial slur against him.
Sunak emphasized that Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, “has some questions to answer” regarding the behavior of his party’s supporters.
The investigation captured a Reform UK canvasser referring to Sunak with a derogatory term. In his response, Sunak did not shy away from repeating the slur to highlight its seriousness.
Speaking during a campaign visit to a school in Teesside, the Prime Minister addressed the issue directly.
“My two daughters have to see and hear Reform people who campaign for Nigel Farage calling me an effing [P-word]. It hurts and it makes me angry, and I think he has some questions to answer.”
Rishi Sunak
Sunak explained his decision to repeat the slur: “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.”
When questioned about the growing number of former Conservative voters leaning towards Reform UK, despite their activists’ racist and homophobic remarks, Sunak stated, “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.”
Sunak also criticized Farage for describing the controversial influencer Andrew Tate as an “important voice for men.”
“Andrew Tate isn’t an important voice for men. He’s a vile misogynist. And our politics and country is better than that,” Sunak asserted.
“As prime minister, but more importantly as a father of two young girls, it’s my duty to call out this corrosive and divisive behavior.”
Rishi Sunak
Reform UK Under Fire From Labour
Labour leader Keir Starmer also condemned the comments made by Reform UK canvassers. He described the incident as a test of Farage’s leadership.
Starmer expressed his shock at the racist and homophobic comments captured in the investigation.
“I was shocked by what I heard in the report, [it was] clearly racist. And I think this is a test of leadership.
“You have to ask the question why so many people supporting Reform seem to be exposed in this particular way. 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.”
Keir Starmer
The report featured Andrew Parker, a Reform canvasser, making various offensive remarks. Parker, who claimed to be a former Conservative voter, was caught on camera calling Sunak a “f**king [P-word].”
He also made derogatory comments about Islam and suggested violent measures against asylum seekers. Parker’s remarks included, “We’re f**king kicking all the Muslims out of the mosques and turning them into Wetherspoons.”
In another segment, Parker suggested using army recruits for target practice on asylum seekers arriving in small boats. He said, “You’ve got Deal, haven’t you? The place near Dover. Army recruitment. Get the young recruits there, yeah, with guns on the f**king beach, target practice. F**king just shoot them.”
Farage dismissed the investigation as a “complete and utter set-up,” alleging that Parker was an actor aiming to undermine Reform UK.
He claimed that Parker and other campaigners making inappropriate comments were no longer with the party, although he defended some by attributing their behavior to intoxication.
Parker, speaking to PA Media, apologized for his comments, stating, “Of course I regret what I said. I’m old school. Christ, I’m not a racist. I’ve had Muslim girlfriends. It was typical chaps-down-the-pub talk.”
He maintained that he was a genuine Reform supporter, despite Farage’s doubts due to his acting career.
In response to the controversy, Farage stated that those involved would no longer be allowed to campaign for the party, expressing his dismay at their comments.
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