A supporter of Oswald Mosley. A retired individual who made derogatory remarks against Muslims. A director of a company who seemed to rejoice in incidents of women being raped. These are just a few examples of Reform’s candidates for local elections that have been brought to light.
Not long ago, Nigel Farage proudly spoke about his party’s screening process. However, Reform has faced embarrassment after several of their candidates were exposed. Investigations, including collaboration with the anti-racism group Hope Not Hate (HnH), have revealed a series of concerning revelations about Farage’s hopefuls. Despite Reform’s leader’s claims of effective vetting, evidence from the Mirror and HnH indicates otherwise. As voters prepare to cast their ballots in various English councils, as well as in Wales’ Senedd and Scotland’s Parliament, let’s recap some of Reform’s controversial selections.
In the same region where Farage represents in Parliament, Stuart Prior’s social media posts have stirred outrage. The 54-year-old company director shared racist content, including asserting the supremacy of white people and making derogatory comments about various ethnic groups. Despite his denial of being racist when confronted, Prior’s offensive posts have raised serious concerns. Reform stated they are investigating the matter.
Farage emphasized a strict rule against former British National Party members joining his party. However, George Parnell’s inclusion as a Reform candidate, identified from a leaked BNP list, forced Reform to take action. Parnell, a 57-year-old technology sector worker, was expelled for not disclosing his past affiliation. The joint investigation with HnH cross-checked Reform’s candidate list with the leaked BNP roster, revealing discrepancies in candidate disclosures.
Approached by the Mirror, Parnell initially admitted to possible BNP membership before retracting his statement, claiming he did not officially join the party. Similarly, John Black, a candidate from Blackburn, Lancashire, denied ever being a BNP member despite his name appearing on the leaked list. Reform confirmed Black’s expulsion from the party.
David Prior, a 55-year-old roofing firm owner running in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, admitted to past BNP membership when confronted by the Mirror. He expressed regret over his association with the group and was subsequently expelled by Reform.
Among Farage’s local election candidates is Professor Angus Dalgleish, who made controversial remarks linking Covid vaccines to cancer in the royal family. Reform disavowed the claims made by Dalgleish, emphasizing that they do not endorse such statements.
Andrew Mahon, a Reform candidate, openly expressed admiration for Oswald Mosley on social media. The 64-year-old, who also endorsed Enoch Powell, faced scrutiny for his extremist views. Reform stated they were investigating the allegations against Mahon.
Daniel Devaney, a 70-year-old retiree standing in Bradford, was exposed for posting anti-Muslim content online. Despite his apology and denial of racism, Reform announced they were looking into the allegations against Devaney.
Emma Clatworthy, a Reform candidate vying for a seat in the Senedd in Wales, was found to have shared Covid conspiracy theories and disparaging comments about the royal family. Clatworthy explained that her past statements were made during a period of exploring various ideas online, stating her commitment to serving the public if elected.
Reform declined to comment on Clatworthy’s posts when contacted last month, indicating ongoing scrutiny of the candidates’ backgrounds and statements.
