Nigel Farage is facing criticism for not taking action against a senior Reform candidate who made “racist and unacceptable” remarks about politicians. Chris Parry, who had previously suggested that David Lammy should return to the Caribbean, also raised questions about the loyalty of other minority ethnic figures to the UK, including Shabana Mahmood, Sadiq Khan, Humza Yousaf, Zarah Sultana, and Anas Sarwar.
Despite being called out for his comments, Mr. Parry’s statements were not condemned by two of Mr. Farage’s key associates. Labour chairwoman Anna Turley expressed disappointment in Farage’s failure to address racism within his party.
A review of Mr. Parry’s social media posts revealed derogatory comments towards individuals such as Shabana Mahmood and Humza Yousaf, implying doubts about their allegiance to the UK. He also targeted Dawn Butler, Kaukab Stewart, and Naz Shah, making offensive remarks about their loyalty.
Ms. Turley emphasized the need for Nigel Farage to remove Chris Parry from Reform UK, criticizing his tolerance towards racism within the party. She highlighted the discrepancy between Farage’s claims of rigorous candidate vetting and the failure to address Parry’s racist comments.
During a press conference, Richard Tice, Farage’s second-in-command, avoided condemning Mr. Parry’s remarks about David Lammy, stating that it was part of political discourse. Another Reform MP, Danny Kruger, deferred commenting on the issue, leaving it to party leadership to decide.
In an interview on Talk TV, Mr. Parry stood by his comments, emphasizing the importance of loyalty to the country, particularly for high-ranking officials. He suggested that it was up to individuals like Lammy to prove their loyalty to the UK.
The Mirror has reached out to Reform for a response to the situation.