Nigel Farage lost his temper on air as he was accused of “fanning the flames of prejudice” to advance his cause.
The Reform UK leader was furious when Sky News host Sir Trevor Phillips claimed he was “willing to turn a blind eye” to people who use horrendous racial slurs. Sir Trevor said the p-word – used by a Reform UK activist to an undercover investigator – on air during the exchange.
He told Mr Farage: “ I know intuitively when somebody doesn’t like me because my colour. That’s not you.” After the Reform UK leader agreed he said: “But actually, I wonder if you’re doing something worse than that.
“You have a political project which is to destroy Conservatives.” Mr Farage butted in claiming that he is running a “positive project”. Sir Trevor went on: “No, you’ve got to you’ve got a project and you’re prepared to use any means at all, including fanning the flames of prejudice to advance that project.
“Which is why you will turn a blind eye to people who use words like p***, people who talk about racial issues in general.”
Mr Farage shot back: “That is totally and utterly untrue. You damn well know, having known me for 20 years.” It comes after Channel 4 footage showed Andrew Parker, who was canvassing for Reform UK, use a vile racial slur about Rishi Sunak and suggest migrants who come by small boat should be shot.
Mr Farage has claimed it was a set-up – which the broadcaster denies. He was asked why people with extreme views gravitate to Reform UK, to which he responded: “Ironically, destroying the BNP means people who are minded that way don’t any longer have a home to go to, and so some will gravitate in our direction and (when) we find out who they are they’ll be gone.”
He said: “I want to live together in a country that is literally colourblind. I couldn’t care less what colour you are.” In reference to a Reform UK rally which Mr Farage will host in Birmingham later, the party leader added: “Who is the star of the show going to be?
“Well, it’s going to be Zia Yusuf, a practicing Muslim who is going to say things about the growth of Muslim extremism, about racism in Britain, and I can assure you anybody who has a racist point of view, I don’t want to know.”