Election latest: Farage on defensive after supporters caught on camera making racist, murderous and hom*ophobic remarks (2024)

We've just had a statement from Essex Police after Reform activists were heard using a racial slur about the prime minister and using hom*ophobic language.

The force said in a statement: "We are aware of comments made during a Channel 4 News programme and we are urgently assessing them to establish if there are any criminal offences."

The footage, captured by an undercover Channel 4 reporter in Clacton, where Mr Farage is a candidate, showed Reform campaigner Andrew Parker calling Mr Sunak a "P***", and suggesting migrants should be used as "target practice".

He also described Islam as a "disgusting cult".

Another canvasser described the Pride flag as "degenerate" and suggested members of the LGBT community were paedophiles.

Mr Farage has sought to distance himself from the inflammatory comments,saying he was "dismayed"by the "appalling sentiments" expressed.

By Megan Harwood-Baynes, digital investigations reporter

Reform and Labour have bought up advertising on two major national news sites in a bid to sway voters in the remaining days before the general election.

When looking at MailOnline, Nigel Farage's stern face beams down from both the main banner and the left of the site.

Their manifesto - which have they been calling their "contract" with the public - is pasted down the side of the news website.

Meanwhile, Labour, perhaps in a bid to emulate 1992's "It's the Sun Wot Won It" front page, have pasted their advertising all over The Sun online.

With a countdown to 4 July, they also bemoan "14 years of Tory chaos".

Crucially, neither of these papers have openly endorsed a candidate, although a regular reader may be forgiven for not noticing this nuance.

In 1992, The Sun claimed credit for the victory of the Conservative Party, after openly campaigning to drive voters away from the then-Labour leader Neil Kinnock.

It is regularly cited as demonstrative of the influence the tabloid press could have over politicians and elections.

So far, the Daily Telegraph has come out in support of the Tories, while the Guardian, Daily Mirror, Economist, New Statesman and Daily Record have all backed the Labour Party.

The Times, The Sun and the Daily Mail have not endorsed anyone, and the Daily Star has taken the unusual (but perhaps unsurprising) approach of supporting Count Binface, labelling him the "most sane politician in the UK".

And while the Mirror has already backed Labour, and despite - at first glance - appearing to be plastered with advertising for the party, the red banners promising "change" are actually for coffee brand Nespresso.

Sky News has been looking at the advertising as part of the Online Election project - a Sky News initiative to cover how the campaign is playing out online, led by Tom Cheshire, Online Campaign correspondent.

We also foundone party has been dominating social media- but it's not the one spending the most.

Reform UK has been dominating, with its page growing by more than 32,000 followers over the course of the campaign.

Meanwhile, the Tories have only seen 596 new followers.

Sixteen of the top 20 most-loved posts were also from Mr Farage.

And for some Tories, the only brand has been seen as so bad, thatsome have ditched it altogether.

There has been uproar today about comments made by Reform UK supporters.

So what do we know?

Channel 4 publishes expose

On Thursday evening, Channel 4 publish an article about racism and hom*ophobia being used by Reform UK canvassers.

This included undercover footage of a man called Andrew Parker in Mr Farage's constituency, who used a racial slur about Rishi Sunak.

He also said young army recruits should be sent to "f****** just shoot" migrants arriving on the beach in Kent.

Another Reform supporter made hom*ophobic comments, describing the Pride flag as "degenerate" and suggesting members of the LGBT community were paedophiles.

Party leader Nigel Farage said he was "dismayed" by the comments.

Allegations of impropriety

By Friday morning, Mr Farage and his deputy Richard Tice were challenging the reporting, alleging that Mr Parker was an actor and insisting the whole thing "stinks".

Sky News spoke to Mr Parker. He says that while he has worked as an actor, he was volunteering for Reform.

He denied taking money, and said he supported Mr Farage.

Channel 4 also said they did not pay anyone and stood by their reporting.

Sunak reacts

At 1pm, Mr Sunak reacted to what had been said.

He repeated the word used by Mr Parker - "P***" - and said it "hurts" and makes him "angry".

He also said his two daughters had to hear it being said.

Sir Keir Starmer earlier declined to say that Mr Farage was racist - but said the words used were.

Farage doubles down

Fifteen minutes later, Mr Farage appeared on ITV show Loose Women.

He doubled down on his suggestion that the incident had somehow been staged, without providing details.

The Reform leader says he had previously met Mr Parker - and claimed the man was putting on "an act right from the start".

Mr Farage said: "I have to tell you, this whole thing was a complete and total set-up, I have no doubt about that."

By Darren McCaffrey, political correspondent, in Teeside

I've spent much of the last five weeks with the prime minister, dozens of visits, dozens of questions. But I've never seen him as angry as today.

The broadcast last night of a Reform canvasser making a targeted racist slur against the prime minister has left Rishi Sunak not just angry - but hurt too.

When asked why he had deliberately decided to repeat the slur itself in an interview, he said it was not something he wanted to do.

"I hate it, I hate having to do it, I choose my words deliberately, I hate it, but I have to call it out for what it is," he said.

On a personal level, this clearly matters to the prime minister and his desire to protect his family.

He has mentioned his daughters having to hear racism like this several times.

Politically, the Conservatives are hoping that this will also make voters think twice about Reform and about Nigel Farage.

When I asked Mr Sunak if he would now describe Reform as a racist party - he wouldn't go that far, but suggested "Nigel Farage has questions to answer".

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is appearing on ITV's Loose Women.

He doubles down on the suggestions that Channel 4 - or a production company - paid a Reform supporter to say racist things about the prime minister.

Andrew Parker, referred to Rishi Sunak as a "P***" and said young army recruits should be sent to "f****** just shoot" migrants arriving on the beach in Kent.

Mr Parker has spoken to Sky News and denied he took any money, while praising Mr Farage.

He has worked as an actor but says he was volunteering when he was caught on undercover camera making the remarks.

Mr Farage claimed "no one speaks" how the man spoke in the footage and that he was putting on an accent.

Mr Parker used the same voice as he did in the Channel 4 video when he spoke to Sky.

The Reform UK leader adds that the whole thing was "a set up" - and that "something is wrong here".

Asked about other Reform supporters who were seen making hom*ophobic comments, Mr Farage says the group were "drunk" after watching the football, and were "vulgar" and "wrong" and "gone" from the party.

Following on from its reporting last night - and claims from Reform that the man involved might have been paid - Channel 4 has defended its expose.

A spokesperson said in a statement: "We strongly stand by our rigorous and duly impartial journalism which speaks for itself.

"We met Mr Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters, where he was a Reform party canvasser.

"We did not pay the Reform UK canvasser or anyone else in this report. Mr Parker was not known to Channel 4 News and was filmed covertly via the undercover operation."

Yesterday, Channel 4 news published a report in which Reform UK activist Andrew Parker was captured by an undercover reporter posing as a canvasser in Clacton, Essex, where leader Nigel Farage is a candidate.

Mr Parker used a racial slur to refer to the prime minister, and said the army should "just shoot" migrants crossing the Channel.

Since the report came out, it emerged that Mr Parker had previously worked as an actor.

This fact was used by Mr Farage and Reform deputy leader Richard Tice to suggest what happens "does not add up" and "stinks".

However, Sky News has now spoken to Mr Parker - and he denies being a paid actor.

He says he was "just a volunteer" delivering leaflets - and that he still supports Mr Farage and thinks he is "a brilliant guy".

Mr Parker denied that he had put on a "rough voice" - adding that he feels like he was "set up" and "goaded on" by the undercover journalist, and he was using his natural accent.

He added that he first joined the campaign after Mr Farage launched it in Clacton.

Acting, he says, makes up a small portion of his income and he can't remember his last job in the sector.

He denies being racist, saying his word choice was partially down to his age.

"It's the sort of language we use. There's no racism at all in it. I am a decent guy to be honest," he told Sky.

Reform has not contacted him since, he says.

Read more and see the other candidates for Clacton here:

We've got six days to go until the election - and today is a bit quieter than some of the other days on the campaign trail.

Here's everything you need to know this lunchtime:

• Sir Keir Starmer spoke to the BBC for a phone in interview;
• He confirmed he would stand down as leader if Labour lost the election badly;
• Sir Keir also described the reported comments made by a Reform campaigner as 'racist' - but did use the label to describe Nigel Farage;
• He would not comment on the US debate overnight - instead saying he would work with whoever is president if he is PM.

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• Junior doctors in Waleshave accepted a pay offer from the Welsh administration there;
• Rylan Clark revealed the changes he would make to the political system;
• And Education Secretary Gillian Keegan admitted no poll was showing a good outcome for the Conservatives.

Stay with us throughout the afternoon as we keep you up to date on the latest developments.

And don't forget, Politics Hubis live from 7pm.

Following the news that the Labour run Welsh administration - which is not currently undergoing an election - agreed a pay rise for junior doctors, the Tory group for the nation have responded.

Sam Rowlands the shadow minister for health, said: "The Welsh Labour government has acted shamefully throughout this episode.

"By only releasing the funds for a pay deal when it was politically advantageous to do so, Labour have caused the strikes which led to missed operations, extra pressure on our NHS and undue stress on Wales' consultants, SAS doctors and junior doctors.

"The Welsh Conservatives will never play politics with the Welsh NHS."