Reform UK candidate quits over ‘racism and bigotry’ to back Tories

A Reform UK candidate has quit the party and endorsed the Conservatives, claiming the “majority” of Reform candidates were “racist, misogynistic and bigoted”.

Georgie David was selected to stand for Reform in West Ham and Beckton, east London, but announced on Tuesday that she was leaving Nigel Farage’s party with “immediate effect”.

Ms David said she was becoming “increasingly disillusioned” with the party leadership.

It follows offensive comments made on social media by at least a dozen Reform candidates, as well as the controversy surrounding canvasser Andrew Parker.

Last month, Tom Wellings, a Reform candidate, withdrew from the contest for Stone, Great Wryly and Penkridge, in Staffordshire, saying he was concerned that his candidacy risked handing victory to Labour.

In a statement first issued to the BBC, Ms David said: “I am hereby announcing my decision to leave the Reform party and stand down as their candidate for West Ham and Beckton with immediate effect.

“I am in no doubt that the party and its senior leadership are not racist. However, as the vast majority of candidates are indeed racist, misogynistic, and bigoted, I do not wish to be directly associated with people who hold such views that are so vastly opposing to my own and what I stand for.”

Ms David said she had “now suspended” her campaign for Reform, adding: “I am endorsing the Conservative Party – I would encourage all of my fellow patriots to do the same.”

A Reform spokesman said the party was “very disappointed with Ms David’s course of action” and “strongly disagreed with her sweeping comments”.

On Tuesday, Richard Tice, the Reform chairman, condemned comments by Robert Smith, the Orkney and Shetland candidate, who suggested Nicola Sturgeon should be shot and used offensive language about senior European politicians Ursula von der Leyen and Christine Largarde.

Reform last week withdrew its support for Grant StClair-Armstrong, who is standing against Kemi Badenoch in North West Essex, after it emerged that he once called on people to vote for the BNP.

The party has said it has made complaints against Channel 4 to the police and the elections watchdog amid a row over footage of Mr Parker.

The part-time actor, who lists “secret filming” among his skills, was shown in a news bulletin using a racial slur against Rishi Sunak. Mr Farage said he wanted nothing to do with Reform candidates who have been exposed as racists, but claimed the incident involving Mr Parker was a “set-up”.

Channel 4 subsequently issued a statement in which it stood by its reporting and denied Mr Parker was a paid actor.