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Footage broadcast by Channel 4 shows racist and Islamophobic slurs apparently being made by Andrew Parker, identified as a canvasser for Mr Farage.<\/p>\n
Mr Parker tells an undercover reporter he has “always been a Tory voter” but he is “annoyed” by Mr Sunak, who he referred to using a racial slur.<\/p>\n
Mr Parker is also heard describing Islam as “the most disgusting cult out” and suggesting army recruits should carry out \u201ctarget practice\u201d by shooting at small boats bringing illegal migrants to the UK.<\/p>\n
At one point Mr Parker tells voters Reform would be “kicking all the Muslims out of the mosques and turning them into Wetherspoons”.<\/p>\n
During campaigning, he advises the undercover reporter to use the term “illegal” when discussing immigration, especially when addressing non-white households.<\/p>\n
Ahead of the publication of the footage, Mr Parker made a statement to Channel 4 claiming “neither Nigel Farage personally or the Reform Party are aware of my personal views on immigration”.<\/p>\n
Mr Parker said: \u201cI have never discussed immigration with either Nigel Farage or the Reform Party and that any comments made by me during those recordings are my own personal views on any subject I commented on.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would therefore like to apologise profusely to Nigel Farage and the Reform Party if my personal views have reflected badly on them and brought them into disrepute as this was not my intention.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mr Farage has claimed Channel 4’s undercover filing was a “total set up”, with Mr Parker a hired actor.<\/p>\n
He initially condemned the remarks as “appalling” and said anyone making “reprehensible” comments will “no longer be with the campaign”.<\/p>\n
But speaking to the BBC, Mr Farage said Mr Parker’s behaviour in the Channel 4 report did not “ring true”.<\/p>\n
He said Mr Parker “came out with an endless stream of invective”, adding “no one speaks like that, it went on and on and on”.<\/p>\n
“I looked at his website, I saw some videos, he’s a very well-spoken actor…. but he does what he calls “rough speaking”. From the momnet he arrived in the office and he bowled up and spoke to me he was rough-speaking. He was acting from the moment he came into the office.”<\/p>\n
Responding to Mr Farage’s comments Channel 4 News said: “We strongly stand by our rigorous and duly impartial journalism which speaks for itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe met Mr Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters, where he was a Reform party canvasser.<\/p>\n
“We did not pay the Reform UK canvasser or anyone else in this report. Mr Parker was not known to Channel 4 News and was filmed covertly via the undercover operation.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mr Parker told the PA news agency that his comments were “typical chaps-down-the-pub talk”.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019m not a racist. I\u2019ve had Muslim girlfriends,” Mr Parker added.<\/p>\n
He said he made the remarks in the “heat of the moment” because he was being “goaded on” – and asked whether he would like to apologise, he says: \u201cOf course I\u2019m sorry. They were off-the-cuff things that everyone says.\u201d<\/p>\n
He says he has \u201ca lot of Pakistani friends\u201d and \u201cMuslim friends\u201d, and that he is \u201csick to death\u201d of being asked about the footage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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You can find a full list of candidates for the Clacton constituency <\/i>here.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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