Reform UK takes action following undercover footage from ITV News

According to a report from BBC UK, Reform UK has suspended a party activist who reportedly stated that one cannot be both Muslim and British in footage obtained by an undercover reporter from ITV News. The party is also investigating two of its councillors who appeared to advocate for the mass shooting of members of grooming gangs in the recorded material. This response from Reform UK follows allegations stemming from the undercover filming by ITV News, which has prompted questions regarding the party's candidate vetting processes.

A spokesperson for the party informed the BBC that legal action is being pursued against ITV and the production company responsible for using undercover reporting to acquire the material. Reform UK issued a statement to ITV asserting that there is no tolerance for racism within the party, and further stated that investigations have been opened into activists or members who exhibited "clearly behaved inappropriately."

In the ITV documentary Undercover: A Year in Reform, which was scheduled for broadcast on Sunday, party activist Jason Powell reportedly made the statement, "You cannot be Muslim and British, it's like oil and water." Powell, who has applied to be a parliamentary candidate for Reform, also expressed the belief that migrants arriving without legal status should be held in "concentration camps" if they cannot be returned to their country of origin. Reform stated that Powell has been suspended from party membership pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

Furthermore, Reform is investigating two councillors who represent the party in the London borough of Hounslow. In the footage, Councillor David Kerr advocated for the machine gunning of thousands of grooming gang members. His associate, Councillor Adam Parkins, suggested that if he were to become prime minister, he would carry out Sunday morning executions in the Downing Street rose garden. Mr. Parkins told the BBC that expressing the opinion that the death penalty was appropriate for men who "systemically groomed and raped young girls" was a perfectly valid viewpoint. Mr. Kerr has not responded to requests for comment.

Reform UK has indicated that it has prioritized and enhanced its vetting procedures. On Wednesday night, ITV News broadcast undercover footage showing some of Reform's councillors and candidates using language that was sexist, racist, and violent. In reaction to the broadcast, Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick commented that all political parties contain "bad apples." Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, he mentioned that he did not appreciate what he heard in the documentary but maintained that the party acted swiftly by removing or suspending those featured in the undercover film.