Reform UK under fire as undercover footage reveals extremist remarks by members
Undercover recordings obtained by ITV have captured several Reform UK activists and councillors making extremist statements, including racist language and calls for violence. The footage shows activist Jason Powell saying Muslims cannot be British and suggesting concentration camps for Channel migrants, while councillors such as Alan Feeney, Dean Miller and others used derogatory terms for Asian families and made violent comments about immigrants and the monarchy.
In response, the party has suspended Powell and announced investigations into the councillors and other members featured, reiterating that racism has no place in the organisation. The revelations have prompted multiple resignations and further suspensions within the party as the internal probe continues.
Why it matters
The story highlights how extremist views within a political party are being exposed and addressed, raising questions about vetting and internal culture.
How this story developed
- Sep 29 Andy Burnham signals possible UK return to the EU after condemning Brexit
- Sep 30 The Prime Minister now says re‑joining the EU is among the options the government will consider.
- Sep 30 Burnham signaled that full EU membership is among the possible routes Labour could evaluate.
- Oct 3 A new poll shows half of British adults now support rejoining the EU.
- Oct 4 Kemi Badenoch opened the Conservative conference by framing the Tories as a common-sense party, unveiling pledges on tighter welfare, prison expansion and free childcare for high-earning families.
- Oct 5 Badenoch pushed to drop the £100,000 childcare tax cap at the conference.
- Oct 6 Announced a cut to employer National Insurance for 21‑ to 24‑year‑olds from 15% to 7.5%.
- Oct 7 Badenoch announced a defence spending target of 3% of GDP.
- Oct 8 Badenoch denounced Reform UK as ethnically exclusive at the conference.
- Oct 8 Burnham announced that the pension triple‑lock will be scrapped after the next general election and its savings will fund a National Care Service.
- Oct 13 YouGov’s latest survey indicates that Reform has reclaimed the third-most-favoured position, surpassing the Conservative Party for the first time since early 2024, though the margin is within the poll’s error range. The poll suggests the Conservatives may have benefited from recent conference coverage, while Labour’s support appears to be fading. In the Commons, MP Burnham affirmed the legitimacy of recent election results but highlighted concerns over foreign actors seeking to influence UK democracy.
- Oct 14 Dean Miller, a Reform UK councillor in Bromley, quit after secret recordings captured him making racist comments and claiming King Charles is Muslim.
- Oct 18 Ipsos poll shows Conservatives have moved ahead of Reform UK in the opposition race.
- Oct 19 The party has suspended activist Jason Powell and opened investigations into several councillors.
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