Reform UK is facing further questions about its vetting procedures for candidates, after undercover filming broadcast by ITV News, external. In the film, gathered over the course of a year, an undercover reporter is advised by a local party chairman to delete social media posts supportive of far-right activist Tommy Robinson, before being encouraged to apply to stand to be a councillor for the party. It also shows a former Reform candidate claiming he failed the party's vetting process twice but was still allowed to stand to be a councillor.
Reform denies the individual failed vetting in the first place. Reform said the party had "improved and prioritised its vetting procedures". In a statement, Reform said that "from time to time, a handful of individuals who do not share our values will initially make it through vetting" but added: "This is the same for all organisations." It follows undercover filming broadcast on Wednesday night, which showed some of Reform's councillors and candidates using racist, violent and sexist language.
The party said: "There is no room for racism in Reform UK. We always respect due process of investigations and whilst these are ongoing it would not be appropriate to comment on individual cases." Reform also accused the ITV investigation of "extreme methods of deception" and using false information to obtain an undercover role in Reform's headquarters. Two years ago, Reform leader Nigel Farage vowed to vet candidates more "rigorously", after the party dropped a series of candidates following reports they had made offensive or racist comments.
However, the party has continued to face questions over the strength of its vetting processes. Speaking on Thursday, before the latest filming was broadcast, Farage told BBC Look East his party vetted "to a much higher standard than other parties" but "you can't vet for future comments". Farage defends Reform's vetting after councillors filmed making racist comments Reform councillor suspended from prison job after 'despicable' comments ITV News says one of its undercover reporters was asked if he would consider standing to be a councillor, after spending time leafleting with Reform activists.
He meets with the chairman of a local Reform branch in Chester, Ian Frost, who describes the meeting as "the first stage" of the vetting process. After the reporter says he has previously posted in support of Robinson on social media, Frost advises him to delete the posts. "Anything where you've got, things, Tommy Robinson or anything like that, okay, I would delete the account and I'd start again," Frost adds.
Farage has said Robinson would not be allowed to join Reform. Frost later suggests the undercover reporter could apply to stand for the party, saying: "You might become a councillor. You might then want to go to the MP route.
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