A Reform UK activist secretly filmed racially abusing Rishi Sunak today admitted he is an actor – but insisted he genuinely campaigns for the party.
Andrew Parker was recorded calling the Prime Minister ‘a f***ing p***’ as he canvassed in Clacton-on-Sea in Essex by Channel 4.
The 63-year-old was also filmed saying that Reform would turn all mosques into Weatherspoons pubs and suggested asylum seekers who try to come to Kent from France on small boats should be shot on the beach by young British Army recruits as ‘target practice’.
But today Mr Parker, a divorced father of one, from Bishop Stortford, Herts, who is a part time actor, refused when asked three times if he had been paid to infiltrate Reform UK to make their volunteers appear racist.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Mr Parker said he’d been set up by Channel – but added: ‘I’m not going to say anything, I think the best thing I can do is not say anything at all.
Andrew Parker, who works as an actor, was filmed calling the Prime Minister ‘a f***ing p***’ as he canvassed in Clacton-on-Sea in Essex
The Channel 4 News investigation revealed Andrew Parker, who is said to be a Reform canvasser, advocating for Channel migrants to be shot by Army recruits
Today Mr Parker (pictured acting), who is a part time actor, refused when asked three times if he had been paid to infiltrate Reform UK to make their volunteers appear racist.
‘I’m getting phone calls non-stop and it’s making me ill to be honest and it’s not fair on me. It’s really causing me a lot of stress and I really can’t stand much more.
‘I was set-up, it’s as simple as that, the guy was laughing and joking with it all the time.
‘He pretended to be part of the Reform campaign team. It was just a joke and it’s become ridiculous,
‘We were having laughs and jokes – like blokes do have laughs and jokes – that was it really. I feel a bit of a fool, but I’m not used to this media stuff.’
Mr Parker says his primary income has come from being a property developer. He says he is a part time actor who has been an extra in the Ricky Gervais film David
Brent: Life on the Road and is well-suited to playing ‘the villain or Mafia-type’ roles.
Mr Parker also denied being a racist – although he conceded his comments were ‘pathetic’ – and that he is ‘an outdated old git’.
The footage, published by Channel 4 News, was taken within the Reform campaign in Clacton, Essex, where Nigel Farage is bidding to be elected an MP next week
Mr Parker (pictured acting) also denied being a racist – although he conceded his comments were ‘pathetic’ – and that he is ‘an outdated old git’.
In another conversation, Mr Parker was filmed describing PM Rishi Sunak as a ‘f****** p***’. ‘I’ve always been a Tory voter,’ he said. ‘But what annoys me is that f****** p*** we’ve got in’
Asked whether he would like to apologise, he said: ‘Of course I’m sorry. They were off-the-cuff things that everyone says.
‘He said he had ‘a lot of Pakistani friends’ and ‘Muslim friends’, and that he was ‘sick to death’ of being asked about the footage.
He added: ‘I regret the choice of words but listen I’m old school. I’m a Brit. I call a Scotsman a Scot. It’s pathetic really. It’s not racist. But then I’m an outdated old git’.
He added: Llisten I’m old school, yeah, I’m a Brit, I call a Scotsman a Scot. I’m just old school, it’s just pathetic really.
‘It just got out of control, a typical media storm.’