Reform candidate defects to Tories slamming ‘racist’ views in occasion
A Reform UK candidate defected to the Tories today slamming ‘racist, misogynistic and bigoted’ views in the party.
Georgie David was standing for Nigel Farage‘s outfit in West Ham & Beckton, but has quit with ‘immediate effect’.
She became the second Reform candidate to endorse the Tories this week in the wake of a damning series of revelations about its election slate.
In the latest, a candidate in Scotland was alleged to have called for ex-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to ‘be shot’, calling her a ‘b****’ in 2016.
The remark by Robert Smith, who is running in Orkney and Shetland, reported by the Times, was branded ‘absolutely appalling’ by chairman Richard Tice.
Mr Smith was already facing criticism for comments about the Royal Family, once saying he would ‘prefer Fred and Rose [West] to any of these c****’.
Last year the candidate, who has previously run for UKIP in the area, said Charles was a ‘WEF fascist’ referring to the World Economic Forum.
Ms David insisted she was in ‘no doubt’ that the leadership was not racist – but suggested it had tried to ‘brush’ issues ‘under the carpet’.
Georgie David was standing for Nigel Farage ‘s outfit in West Ham & Beckton, but has quit with ‘immediate effect’.
She became the second Reform candidate to endorse the Tories this week in the wake of a damning series of revelations about its election slate.
After Ms David announced her defection, Mr Tice accused the Tories of ‘dirty tricks’, adding: ‘What jobs and safe seats have toxic Tories offered this candidate? As they have with many others.’
In the latest, a candidate in Scotland was accused of calling for ex-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to be shot. The alleged remark by Robert Smith, who is running in Orkney and Shetland, was branded ‘absolutely appalling’ by chairman Richard Tice.
Earlier this week a candidate stepped down and backed the Conservatives, citing a ‘failure of leadership’ over allegations of racism within the party.
Liam Booth-Isherwood, who was standing in the Derbyshire seat of Erewash, announced he was dropping out of the race and would instead be endorsing the Tory contender Maggie Throup to ‘stop Labour’.
The candidate said he had become ‘increasingly disillusioned’ with the behaviour of the party, which he suggested indicated a ‘significant moral issue’ within its ranks.
After Ms David announced her defection, Mr Tice accused the Tories of ‘dirty tricks’, adding: ‘What jobs and safe seats have toxic Tories offered this candidate? As they have with many others.’
Labour is expected to coast to victory in West Ham & Beckton seat on Thursday, but the news is a blow to Mr Farage’s efforts to shake off claims about his candidates.
In a statement released through the Conservatives, Ms David said: ‘I am in no doubt that the party and its senior leadership are not racist.
‘However, as the vast majority of candidates are indeed racist, misogynistic, and bigoted, I do not wish to be directly associated with people who hold such views that are so vastly opposing to my own and what I stand for.
‘I also have been significantly frustrated and dismayed by the failure of the Reform Party’s leadership to tackle this issue in any meaningful way, and their attempts to instead try to brush it under the carpet or cry foul play.
‘As such, I have now suspended my campaign with Reform, and I an endorsing the Conservative Party – I would encourage all of my fellow patriots to do the same.’
Liam Booth-Isherwood was standing in the Derbyshire seat of Erewash before he announced he would be endorsing the Conservatives
Now Andrew Tate’s onside
Andrew Tate last night endorsed Reform UK and urged young British men to ‘vote against the establishment’.
The controversial influencer, 37, and brother Tristan, 35, shared their support for Nigel Farage and told followers on social media site, Rumble: ‘It’s down to you now’.
Tate faces charges in Romania of trafficking, rape and sexual exploitation, which he denies.
Mr Farage has called him ‘an important voice’ for ’emasculated’ men but said he was ‘horrified’ by the charges.
