A Reform UK councillor has accused ITV of potential “election interference” after claiming two journalists who infiltrated the party’s Portsmouth branch campaigned alongside its candidates before the local elections.
Cllr George Madgwick said he was “shocked and disgusted” after discovering the identities of two men he alleges posed as campaigners before appearing in ITV’s undercover investigation into Reform UK. In a statement, Madgwick claimed the men campaigned in Portsmouth during March and April, helping the party in four electoral seats. He said Reform lost in three of those seats by a small number of votes.
Allegations of criminal conduct
“We have no way to know whether they posted flyers they were meant to. Or whether they gave us correct door knocking information,” he said. “By default ITV could have literally paid reporters to ruin an election result for Reform UK candidates. That has to be criminal.”
Cllr Madgwick did not provide evidence that the journalists deliberately disrupted campaigning or affected the results. His allegations of possible criminal conduct have not been established.
He also said he had allowed the two men into his home, made them drinks and introduced them to his dogs, describing the experience as an “entirely disgusting invasion of personal privacy”. The councillor said he had photographs of the men but would not identify them publicly at this stage, adding that he might do so after receiving advice.
Response to documentary
Addressing his own appearance in the documentary, Cllr Madgwick said he remained firm in everything he had personally said. He disputed the programme’s description of him as a member of the Portsmouth Patriots, saying he had never belonged to the group but had supported its movement “from the sidelines”.
He described the group’s executive team as “good people” and said its members were passionate local residents who cared about their community. However, he acknowledged that people from outside the group had carried out “abhorrent things”, which he said should be condemned. Cllr Madgwick said he hoped ITV would be held to account over what he described as potential criminal behaviour and election interference.
Investigation findings and reactions
The ITV News investigation found Reform UK councillors and candidates had used racist and offensive language, including references to black children as “animals” and claims that an area had become “infested” with Asian families.
Reform leader Nigel Farage criticised the investigation in an interview with the Daily Express, accusing the “establishment” of trying to discredit his party. He argued that other political parties should face similar scrutiny and suggested sending undercover operatives to investigate Conservative councillors.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham welcomed ITV’s investigation, saying there was “no place for any form of racism, antisemitism, discrimination in British politics”.
An ITV spokesperson said: “ITV's programme Undercover: A Year In Reform was produced in compliance with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, relevant laws, and its broadcast is in the public interest. All journalists were instructed to operate within this framework and did so under the supervision of the programme's producers.”
