Nigel Farage is facing criticism for not taking action against a senior Reform candidate who made “racist and abhorrent” remarks about politicians. Chris Parry, who had previously suggested that David Lammy should return to the Caribbean, also questioned the loyalty of eight other minority ethnic figures to the UK. These individuals included Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf, independent MP Zarah Sultana, and Scottish Labour chief Anas Sarwar.
Despite calls to address Parry’s comments, two of Farage’s key allies declined to condemn him. Labour chairwoman Anna Turley accused Farage of ignoring racism within his party. The Guardian’s investigation into Parry’s social media revealed derogatory comments about Mahmood and Yousaf, questioning their loyalty. Parry also targeted Dawn Butler, Kaukab Stewart, and Naz Shah, insinuating disloyalty to the UK.
Turley demanded Parry be removed from Reform UK, criticizing Farage for failing to act promptly. She highlighted the discrepancy between Farage’s claims of rigorous candidate vetting and Parry’s offensive remarks going unchecked. Richard Tice, Farage’s deputy, refrained from denouncing Parry’s remarks about Lammy, emphasizing it as part of political discourse. Reform MP Danny Kruger deferred judgment to party leadership, praising Parry’s support for Reform.
In a Talk TV interview, Parry stood by his comments, urging people to view the context on Twitter. He reiterated that as foreign secretary, primary loyalty should be to the UK. When asked about Lammy’s loyalty, Parry redirected the question to Lammy himself. Farage’s office and Reform have been reached out to for comments.
