Farage resisted firing racist candidate

An undercover ITV investigation shows Nigel Farage pushed back against senior advisers who said Chris Parry, a retired rear admiral, must be sacked over racist comments.

What Parry said about Lammy

Parry, picked to contest Hampshire and the Solent mayoral election, said David Lammy should go home to the Caribbean and suggested eight other minority ethnic politicians lack primary loyalty to the UK.

Reform's delayed response

Reform stood by Parry for months after the remarks emerged. Ed Sumner, Reform's head of communications, said in December he was getting rid of him, but Parry remained the candidate three weeks later.

Farage's recorded response

In a recorded conversation, Farage told Sumner that Parry must apologise to Lammy and move on. When Sumner said you are protecting him, Farage replied it is showing a bit of sorrow.

“You're protecting him.”

The key exchange

Farage said Parry must do it and move on, then told Sumner to take the deal. He added that Parry is a rear admiral, which he described as the problem.

“He must do it and move on … Tell him that from me.”

Parry finally suspended

Parry was suspended on twenty-sixth March after the Guardian reported he had described members of a Jewish neighbourhood watch group as cosplayers and likened them to Islamists on horseback.

Pochin's complaint about sexism

Sarah Pochin, Reform's MP for Runcorn and Helsby, was recorded saying party officials are so fucking chauvinistic and that they just exclude you if you are a woman.

“They are so fucking chauvinistic.”

Labour demands accountability

Bridget Phillipson, Labour party chair, said the revelations go right to the top of Reform and that Farage must explain why he stood by a blatant racist instead of kicking him out.

Reform attacks investigation methods

Reform UK accused ITV and Hardcash Productions of extreme deception, claiming the undercover journalist used false credentials and infiltrated headquarters to access computer systems and spy on employees.