Farage urged to act against Reform local election candidates with racist, misogynistic and homophobic views
Nigel Farage is under pressure to reject a number of Reform UK local election candidates after newly revealed social media posts showed some of them holding “grotesque” racist, misogynistic and homophobic views.
Reform has been plagued by scrutiny issues and has vowed to exonerate its candidates after a series of “disgusting” incidents, including one man who resigned last month after a photo of him giving a Nazi salute resurfaced.
However Independent It found three of the candidates had expressed extreme views on social media, with Labor demanding they be suspended from office even though it was now too late to withdraw their candidacy.
Andrew Mahon, who is in Blackburn, appears to have made some homophobic comments about Health Minister Wes Streeting and Green Party leader Zack Polanski.
Last month, Mr. Mahon posted on Facebook: “I wonder if Wes Streeting likes sausages? I wonder if he eats meat.”
And a now-deleted X post on Mr Mahon’s behalf from last month read: “Green MP Hannah Spencer knows all about ballc**** and I bet she knows all about that heavy-duty plumber’s snake. I wonder (sic) whether she unblocked every chimney or performed any pipe cleaning at Zac Polanski’s house.”
In another now-deleted post, Mr Mahon says: “With all due respect, why can black people use the word nigger but white people can’t? Seriously, why is this the case?”
And in a Facebook post from 2024, Mr. Mahon appears to say that Angela Rayner in X “should consider weight-loss shots.”
Standing in the neighborhoods of Wakefield, Castleford Central and Glasshoughton, Brett Muscroft appeared to openly support far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
In August 2024, a Facebook post bearing Mr Muscroft’s name said Tommy Robinson becoming secretary of state for defense would mean “we can take back Great Britain”.
A post published on Facebook in February 2025 included a photo titled “Islam is like cancer. If you don’t eliminate it in time, it will kill you.”
Arnold Tabor, who was based in Wakefield, South Elmsall and South Kirkby in 2022, appears to have left a comment on a YouTube video suggesting the Navy should shoot migrants in the Channel.
Another comment on a YouTube video from 2023 says immigrants should be placed in a “big walled workhouse city” and “work for free.”
Labor leader Anna Turley demanded Mr Farage take action.
He said: “These vile comments reveal the type of candidates Reform is happy to put on the ballot paper. For all Nigel Farage’s claims to improve scrutiny in the party, he continues to side with candidates with outlandish views. Voters deserve better.”
“Farage needs to take action and kick these people out of his party once and for all.”
A Reform spokesman said the party was investigating the allegations.
