Labour Calls on Nigel Farage to Condemn and Sack Reform Candidates Over Offensive Posts
Labour has urged Nigel Farage to condemn and dismiss two Reform UK local election candidates after they were accused of making offensive or potentially racist social media posts. The party asserts that Reform's vetting procedures are clearly not fit for purpose, highlighting ongoing controversies despite Farage's claims of improved checks.
Details of the Controversial Posts
Alan Stay, a Reform candidate for the Isle of Wight, shared racist and sexist messages on Facebook, including one that repeatedly used an explicitly racist epithet. He argued the word was not harmful, responding to a news story about a DJ losing their job for playing a record featuring the term.
Caroline Panetta, standing in Bexley, outer London, retweeted anti-Islam comments, such as claims that Mayor Sadiq Khan aims to turn London into Londonstan where women would be unsafe. In her own post, she labelled Islam as the religion of rape, incest and paedophilia. Other retweets disputed the murder conviction of George Floyd, calling it a miscarriage of justice and labelling Floyd a criminal.
Labour's Response and Broader Implications
Anna Turley, Labour party chair, stated: What will it take for Nigel Farage to finally act? Farage has repeatedly boasted about Reform's vetting procedures but it is still clearly not fit for purpose. Farage must condemn these vile remarks, sack them as Reform candidates and kick them out of his party without delay.
This incident adds to a series of controversies surrounding Reform candidates in the upcoming local elections in England on 7 May, as well as for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments. Reform has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded.
Connection to Hard-Right Splinter Party
The controversy extends to Restore Britain, a hard-right party founded by MP Rupert Lowe after he left Reform following a bitter row with Farage. The party advocates for mass deportations from the UK and has attracted support from openly racist and far-right activists, whom Lowe has declined to disown.
Recent polling indicates Restore Britain has about 4% national support. Notably, the party appears to have accepted a donation from Miles Routledge, an activist who tweets as Lord Miles. In February, Routledge posted a photo of a £2,500 donation to join the Cromwell Club donor group.
Extremist Views and Threats
Routledge has expressed extremist views, including a July post stating: What brings me joy and hope in this world is that by 2039 we'll have another Hitler to lead another great uprising. When questioned by the Guardian, he affirmed the statement and added threats against journalists, saying: I must add that I will also imprison journalists such as yourself when I take an ounce of power.
This situation underscores broader concerns about vetting and ethical standards in political candidacies, particularly as elections approach. Labour's demands highlight the urgency for accountability and reform within parties to prevent such incidents.
