Nigel Farage faces accusations of racism by an activist

UK Reform leader Nigel Farage has reiterated that footage showing racist comments apparently made by one of his party’s activists was a “set-up”.

Johnson faced angry questions from the BBC’s Question Time audience during a Channel 4 broadcast that showed Andrew Parker, a reform advocate in the UK, using a racist term about Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Farage described the comments as a “tirade of ancient abuse” but suggested the man may have been paid.

In response to other comments made by UK Reform Party candidates, Farage said he “didn’t want anything to do” with them and said he was withdrawing his support.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay, speaking to Farage on the same programme, condemned Parker’s comments as “appalling” and said they were a “stark reminder of the future we could be heading towards if people support electoral reform”.

Asked about comments made by some of his nominees, he said those concerns would be appropriately investigated.

Speaking on Friday, Mr Sunak said: Comments in Channel 4 footage said: “It makes me angry,” he added.

He said his daughters “have to see and hear reformers who campaigned for Nigel Farage” using racist language against him.

He said Mr Farage had “some questions to answer”.

In addition to slandering the Prime Minister, Parker was also heard describing Islam as the “most disgusting faith” and suggesting that army recruits should carry out “target training” by shooting at small boats bringing illegal immigrants to the UK.

In a statement, Parker said he wanted to “profoundly apologise to Nigel Farage and the Reform Party if my personal views have reflected poorly on them and brought them into disrepute as this was not my intention”.

Essex Police said it was “urgently assessing” the comments on the programme “to ascertain whether there are any criminal offences”.

The topic came up as the first question In leaders’ question time When an audience member asked, “What is it about your party that attracts racists?”

Mr Farage claimed he had done more to expel the far right than anyone alive in British politics.

“I confronted the BNP a little over a decade ago. I told their voters, if this is a protest vote but you don’t support their racist agenda, don’t vote for them, vote for me. I’ve destroyed them.”

He went on to repeat claims he made earlier in the day that Mr Parker was an actor with an alter ego, and suggested it was a “political setup of staggering proportions”.

“This is designed to hurt us, and it’s unfortunate that some people believe it.”

The BBC contacted Mr Parker about Farage’s comments, but he did not wish to comment.

Channel 4 News said it stood by its “rigorous and impartial journalism”, adding that it first met Parker at the headquarters of the British Reform Party and did not pay him any money.

Farage was then asked about other comments made by Reform UK candidates including Edward Oakenfull Who wrote Okkenful has posted offensive comments on social media about the intelligence of sub-Saharan Africans. Okkenful told the BBC that his comments were “taken out of context”.

Farage said he disavowed the candidates in question, adding: “I want nothing to do with them.”

“There are people in all parties saying bad things and wrong things,” he said, suggesting this was partly a result of having to find candidates quickly after the prime minister’s surprise call for a general election in July.

Parties can withdraw their support from their candidates during this election campaign, and it is too late to prevent them from appearing on the ballot.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay was also asked about comments made by some of his candidates regarding the conflict in Gaza, including one who compared Hamas to French resistance fighters in World War II.

Mr Ramsay said he did not support these views, adding that any concerns “will be properly investigated through the correct channels in the party” – saying those channels are separate from the leadership.

“Unfortunately, all parties had candidates selected in these elections who are no longer running,” he said.