- Published
Reform UK is facing further questions about its vetting procedures for candidates, after undercover filming broadcast by ITV News, external.
asserted
UK → publish → News
In the film, gathered over the course of a year, an undercover reporter is advised by a local party chairman to delete social media posts supportive of far-right activist Tommy Robinson, before being encouraged to apply to stand to be a councillor for the party.
It also shows a former Reform candidate claiming he failed the party's vetting process twice but was still allowed to stand to be a councillor.
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he → gather → process
Reform denies the individual failed vetting in the first place.
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individual → deny → place
Reform said the party had "improved and prioritised its vetting procedures".
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party → say → procedures
In a statement, Reform said that "from time to time, a handful of individuals who do not share our values will initially make it through vetting" but added: "This is the same for all organisations."
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This → say → organisations
It follows undercover filming broadcast on Wednesday night, which showed some of Reform's councillors and candidates using racist, violent and sexist language.
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some → follow → language
The party said: "There is no room for racism in Reform UK.
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party → say → UK
We always respect due process of investigations and whilst these are ongoing it would not be appropriate to comment on individual cases."
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it → respect → cases
Reform also accused the ITV investigation of "extreme methods of deception" and using false information to obtain an undercover role in Reform's headquarters.
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Reform → accuse → headquarters
Two years ago, Reform leader Nigel Farage vowed to vet candidates more "rigorously", after the party dropped a series of candidates following reports they had made offensive or racist comments.
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they → vow → comments
However, the party has continued to face questions over the strength of its vetting processes.
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party → continue → processes
Speaking on Thursday, before the latest filming was broadcast, Farage told BBC Look East his party vetted "to a much higher standard than other parties" but "you can't vet for future comments".
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you → speak → comments
ITV News says one of its undercover reporters was asked if he would consider standing to be a councillor, after spending time leafleting with Reform activists.
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he → say → activists
He meets with the chairman of a local Reform branch in Chester, Ian Frost, who describes the meeting as "the first stage" of the vetting process.
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who → meet → process
After the reporter says he has previously posted in support of Robinson on social media, Frost advises him to delete the posts.
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Frost → say → posts
"Anything where you've got, things, Tommy Robinson or anything like that, okay, I would delete the account and I'd start again," Frost adds.
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Frost → get → account
Farage has said Robinson would not be allowed to join Reform.
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Robinson → say → Reform
Frost later suggests the undercover reporter could apply to stand for the party, saying: "You might become a councillor.
uncertain
You → suggest → party
You might then want to go to the MP route.
uncertain
You → want → route
Frost told ITV News he thought the reporter was a genuine candidate and gave him the benefit of the doubt.
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reporter → tell → doubt
He added that it was not fair to judge people on a single conversation and he had since left Reform for unrelated reasons.
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he → add → reasons
In another part of the film, a former Reform candidate - Alex Lomas - claims he failed the party's vetting process twice, including for sharing social media posts from Robinson.
uncertain
he → claim → Robinson
However, Lomas says a few days after he failed for the second time he was asked to stand for the party.
"
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he → say → party
On my second application, I got declined on the Friday, I got an email from them on the Tuesday saying you've passed vetting," he is recorded as saying.
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he → decline → vetting
"I said, well, I think you better check with your paperwork, mate, because I've just failed on Friday.
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I → say → Friday
Now, you're saying I've passed it, I've not changed anything.
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I → say → anything
"And then I got a phone call a few days later.
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I → get → call
Hi, will you stand for Reform UK?
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you → stand → UK
He stood for Reform in local elections in Oldham in May but did not win a seat on the council.
uncertain
He → stand → council
The BBC has not been able to contact Lomas and he did not respond to requests for comment from ITV News.
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he → contact → News
Reform denies Lomas failed vetting in the first place.
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Lomas → deny → place
ITV's undercover report also shows Farage ruling a controversial mayoral candidate Dr Chris Parry – who said the then Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy should go home to the Caribbean – should be made to apologise, but not stand down.
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Lammy → show → Caribbean
In a conversation at Reform's headquarters, the party's director of communications Ed Sumner suggests Farage is "protecting" Parry.
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Farage → suggest → Parry
In response Farage says: "It's showing a bit of sorrow."
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It → say → sorrow
In a separate conversation several weeks earlier, where Farage was not present, Sumner is recorded saying Parry is "clearly a racist" and "needs to go".
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Parry → record → conversation
After apologising to Lammy in January, Parry was allowed to remain Reform's mayoral candidate in Hampshire and the Solent until he was later suspended in March "pending investigation", following comments about a Jewish voluntary patrol service.
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he → apologise → service
Parry told the BBC there was never an investigation and he has since left the party.
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he → tell → party
He said: "I would urge people to go back to the original contexts and tweets to see what was said and why.
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what → say → contexts
They related to reparations and failures by the police and government.
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They → relate → police
"They will see I always exercise my right to criticise anyone in power or the public eye, whom I judge to be acting against the interests of the British people."
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I → see → people
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
