Published on 15/10/2026 – 11:27 GMT+2
Britain’s hard-right, anti-immigration Reform UK party is facing a major backlash after an undercover investigation captured party councillors and candidates using racist language.
An upcoming 90-minute documentary, titled “Undercover: A Year in Reform” by ITV News, features disturbing footage from the campaign trail. In one clip, black children are referred to as “animals,” while in another, a party member describes local Asian families as “absolute parasites” and claims the area is “infested” with them.
The undercover report tracked Reform UK candidates and councillors during the May local elections and four by-election campaigns in 2025 and 2026. In response to the broadcast of these excerpts, a Reform UK spokesperson stated that investigations have been launched where members, activists, or councillors “have clearly behaved inappropriately.”
The spokesperson added that suspensions have occurred in some cases, emphasizing that “due process must be followed.” The party claims to have “improved and prioritised its vetting procedures,” though admitting that “from time to time, a handful of individuals who do not share our values will initially make it through vetting.” The statement concluded firmly: “There is no room for racism in Reform UK.”
Bridget Phillipson, chair of the Labour Party, condemned the remarks as “extreme racism,” stating, “Farage can’t shrug these latest revelations off as being a few bad apples.”
The scandal comes just a month after long-term aide to Nigel Farage, Dan Jukes, and Reform’s head of policy, James Orr, resigned following an undercover Channel 4 News investigation that led to police reports over alleged donation rule violations. Farage has faced months of intense scrutiny over the party’s financial arrangements, including a separate £5.0 million (€5.9 million) personal gift from British businessman Christopher Harborne.
Despite recent turbulence, Reform UK had previously surged in opinion polls. However, the latest YouGov survey places the party in third position, behind the ruling Labour Party in first and the Conservatives in second. The full ITV investigation is scheduled to air on Sunday.
Additional sources: AFP
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