Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party is embroiled in a racism controversy following a dispute involving a local election candidate who criticized a senior party member for a social media post.
Arron Banks, a significant supporter of Reform and a key financier of the Brexit campaign, faced backlash for commenting “Welsh lad?” on a video featuring a Black activist supporting Plaid Cymru. James Evans, a Reform candidate, condemned Banks’ remark as racist, stating that such comments should not be made.
Banks defended his comment as a joke, accusing Plaid Cymru of lacking a sense of humor. Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts condemned Banks’ defense, emphasizing that racism should not be trivialized and called on Nigel Farage and Dan Thomas to denounce Banks’ remarks.
The controversy is impacting Reform’s campaign in Wales as they are in a close race with Plaid Cymru to become the largest party in the upcoming Welsh parliament. Polls suggest a potential upset for Labour, which has been in power in Wales since 1999.
Despite criticism, Banks, who previously supported UKIP, remains unapologetic for his comments, dismissing calls for an apology. Farage acknowledged Banks’ remarks as inappropriate but attributed them to a lapse in judgment.
Reform’s leader in Wales, Dan Thomas, avoided directly addressing Banks’ post during a recent TV debate, highlighting his Welsh heritage and rejecting accusations of nationalism.
Various political parties, including Labour, the Welsh Conservatives, and the Wales Green Party, have condemned Banks’ comments as racist and divisive, emphasizing the importance of standing against racism in society.
Reform UK declined to provide a comment on the matter.
