Channel 4 has rejected a claim by Nigel Farage that its undercover footage of a Reform UK canvasser using racist language was a “set up”.
Party leader Mr Farage alleged on ITV’s Loose Women that their exposé was “a complete and total set-up”. He suggested Andrew Parker, who was filmed by Channel 4 on the campaign trail in Clacton, was being paid as an actor.
But the broadcaster has rejected the claim and said it strongly stands by its “rigorous and duly impartial journalism”. It denied paying Mr Parker or anyone else during its investigation. Mr Parker has also denied he was a “paid actor” set up to make Reform UK look bad. He confirmed to GB News that he is primarily a property developer and he does a small amount of acting on the side.
It comes as Rishi Sunak said he is “hurt and angry” about a Reform UK canvasser using a racial slur against him and said Mr Farage “has some questions to answer”. On a campaign visit to a school in Teesside, Mr Sunak told broadcasters: “My two daughters have to see and hear Reform people who campaign to Nigel Farage calling me an effing p***.”
When the comments were first reported Mr Farage said he was “dismayed” by them, adding that some of the language was “reprehensible”. He has since alleged that this “whole episode does not add up”.
Appearing on ITV’s Loose Women, he said: “It was an act right from the very start.” He claimed Mr Parker, the canvasser, had been “rough speaking” and “not being himself”, adding that his racist remarks “all seemed a bit over the top”. He went on: “I have to tell you, this whole thing was a complete and total set-up, I have no doubt about that.”
Asked whether he thought Mr Parker had been paid, he said: “I don’t know whether he was paid or not.” He added: “I’m saying it’s possible, I don’t know. Something is wrong here.”
The undercover footage recorded by Channel 4 News showed Reform UK activist Andrew Parker saying the party should “kick Muslims out of mosques and turn them into Wetherspoons ”. He also said that army recruits should use asylum seekers crossing the Channel as “target practice”. And in the same conversation he used a sickening racist term to describe Mr Sunak.
(
ITV)
Keir Starmer said he had been “shocked” by the footage, describing it as “clearly racist” and adding: “I think this is a test of leadership.” “You have to ask the question why so many people who are supporting Reform seem to be exposed in this particular way,” the Labour leader added.
Mr Sunak said: “When you see Reform candidates and campaigners seemingly using racist and misogynistic language and opinion, seemingly without challenge, I think it tells you something about the culture in the Reform party.
“Andrew Tate isn’t an important voice for men. He’s a vile misogynist. And our politics and country is better than that. As Prime Minister, but more importantly as a father of two young girls, it’s my duty to call out this corrosive and divisive behaviour.”
A spokeswoman for Channel 4 News said: “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.”
In a statement to Channel 4 when the footage first came out, Mr Parker said:”I would like to make it clear that neither Nigel Farage personally or the Reform Party are aware of my personal views on immigration. I have never discussed Immigration with either Nigel Farage or the Reform Party and that any comments made by me during those recordings are my own personal views on any subject I commented on.”
He continued: “I would therefore like to apologise profusely to Nigel Farage and the Reform Party if my personal views have reflected badly on them and brought them into disrepute as this was not my intention. I offered to help the Reform Party on their canvassing as I believe that they are the only party that offer the UK voter a practical solution to the illegal immigration problem that we have in the UK.”