Daniel Devaney, standing in the local elections for Nigel Farage’s party in Bradford, posted on Facebook about ‘blasting’ followers of Islam off the face of the Earth
A Reform candidate who met King Charles can today be exposed for posting a series of “stomach-churning” anti-Muslim comments.
Daniel Devaney, standing in the local elections for Nigel Farage’s party, ranted about ‘blasting’ followers of Islam off the face of the earth. The wannabe Bradford councillor, a fan of Enoch Powell, also branded Muslims “scum”. Retired Devaney, 70, who used to work for the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI), was once pictured rubbing shoulders with the then Prince Charles on HMS Invincible. Contacted by the Mirror over his Facebook posts, the ex-canteen assistant admitted being “well out of order”.
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Farage’s party has been hit by issues with candidates, with the leader last month forced to defend Reform’s vetting. But evidence uncovered by anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate (HnH) suggests party officials failed to properly check out Devaney. HnH senior researcher Harry Shukman said: “Reform has a problem with Muslims. Daniel Devaney… is just the latest candidate to express stomach-churning Islamophobia. This should have no place in our politics, and yet Reform has repeatedly welcomed anti-Muslim candidates into the party.”
In a Facebook post Devaney railed against Keir Starmer and “his cronies”, adding in apparent reference to the war in Gaza: “Their all on about Isreal [sic] and the fighting and guess what the Muslims are innocent my arse Isreal is fighting on 3 fronts”. In the September 2024 post, he added: “if I was them I’d just blast them all of [sic] the face of the earth pure scum…”
And, in March last year, Devaney called for “civil unrest” in another Facebook post. He criticised Labour, referencing “f*****g immigrants in luxury with private health care”. Devaney added: “We need civil unrest if it means riots and marches so be it one way or another we need Starmer and his Muslim anti British party out NOW.”
Meanwhile, in July 2024, Devaney wrote an Islamophobic joke suggesting Muslims were paedophiles. And, in August last year, he again attacked Muslims over apparently setting off fireworks.
In late March last year, Devaney praised the controversial politician Powell who was sacked from the Tory shadow cabinet in the late 1960s. He shared footage of the late Powell saying: “Unless something drastic is done, there will be a coloured majority in the foreseeable future over large areas. And there will be the whip hand over the white man held by the immigrant.” In his post, Devaney added: “Never a more truer word said”.
Devaney is standing to be a district councillor for Reform in Bradford. Speaking to the Mirror, the candidate said he did not stand by his comment about blasting Muslims off the face of the earth. He said: “That was just a heated moment… you can get carried away with stuff when you’re talking to people and that.” On his “civil unrest” post said: “When I look back on what I said… I must admit I was out of order. Well out of order for it.”
Devaney later messaged the Mirror saying: “I don’t stand by with what I put except Enoch Powell. The things I wrote was mainly mouthing off and not really thinking about what I put but really to wind people up and it’s very easy to do.”
He added: “I apologise for what I said in the posts and some of them I should have worded it better. I’m not racist as I have said before as I help my Asian neighbours I just want to do something for my community.” Reform UK said it “was looking into the allegations”.
It comes after we revealed this week how a Reform candidate in Wales peddled a Covid conspiracy theory – and even branded the late Queen a “fraud” who should be overthrown. Meanwhile, the Mirror also exposed a one-time Reform elections campaigner, whose tanning salon was visited by Farage, for praising Adolf Hitler.