Election latest: Sunak speaks out over Farage supporter's racist comments (2024)

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is appearing on ITV's Loose Women.

He doubles down on the suggestions that Channel 4 - or a production company - paid a Reform supporter to say racist things about the prime minister.

Andrew Parker, the man involved, has spoken to Sky News and denied he took any money, and praised Mr Farage.

He has worked as an actor but says he was volunteering when he was caught on undercover camera making the remarks.

Mr Farage also claims that "no one speaks" how the man spoke in the footage and was putting on an accent.

Mr Parker used the same voice as he did in the Channel 4 video when he spoke to Sky.

He adds that the whole things was "a set up" - and that "something is wrong here".

Asked about other Reform supporters who were seen making hom*ophobic comments, Mr Farage says the group were "drunk" after watching the football, and were "vulgar" and "wrong" and "gone" from the party.

Following on from its reporting last night - and claims from Reform that the man involved might have been paid - Channel 4 has defended its expose.

A spokesperson said in a statement: "We strongly stand by our rigorous and duly impartial journalism which speaks for itself.

"We met Mr Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters, where he was a Reform party canvasser.

"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."

Yesterday, Channel 4 news published a report in which Reform UK activist Andrew Parker was captured by an undercover reporter posing as a canvasser in Clacton, Essex, where leader Nigel Farage is a candidate.

Mr Parker used a racial slur to refer to the prime minister, and said the army should "just shoot" migrants crossing the Channel.

Since the report came out, it emerged that Mr Parker had previously worked as an actor.

This fact was used by Mr Farage and Reform deputy leader Richard Tice to suggest what happens "does not add up" and "stinks".

However, Sky News has now spoken to Mr Parker - and he denies being a paid actor.

He says he was "just a volunteer" delivering leaflets - and that he still supports Mr Farage and thinks he is "a brilliant guy".

Mr Parker denied that he had put on a "rough voice" - adding that he feels like he was "set up" and "goaded on" by the undercover journalist, and he was using his natural accent.

He added that he first joined the campaign after Mr Farage launched it in Clacton.

Acting, he says, makes up a small portion of his income and he can't remember his last job in the sector.

He denies being racist, saying his word choice was partially down to his age.

"It's the sort of language we use. There's no racism at all in it. I am a decent guy to be honest," he told Sky.

Reform has not contacted him since, he says.

Read more and see the other candidates for Clacton here:

We've got six days to go until the election - and today is a bit quieter than some of the other days on the campaign trail.

Here's everything you need to know this lunchtime:

• Sir Keir Starmer spoke to the BBC for a phone in interview;
• He confirmed he would stand down as leader if Labour lost the election badly;
• Sir Keir also described the reported comments made by a Reform campaigner as 'racist' - but did use the label to describe Nigel Farage;
• He would not comment on the US debate overnight - instead saying he would work with whoever is president if he is PM.

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• Junior doctors in Waleshave accepted a pay offer from the Welsh administration there;
• Rylan Clark revealed the changes he would make to the political system;
• And Education Secretary Gillian Keegan admitted no poll was showing a good outcome for the Conservatives.

Stay with us throughout the afternoon as we keep you up to date on the latest developments.

And don't forget, Politics Hubis live from 7pm.

Following the news that the Labour run Welsh administration - which is not currently undergoing an election - agreed a pay rise for junior doctors, the Tory group for the nation have responded.

Sam Rowlands the shadow minister for health, said: "The Welsh Labour government has acted shamefully throughout this episode.

"By only releasing the funds for a pay deal when it was politically advantageous to do so, Labour have caused the strikes which led to missed operations, extra pressure on our NHS and undue stress on Wales' consultants, SAS doctors and junior doctors.

"The Welsh Conservatives will never play politics with the Welsh NHS."

By Tomos Evans, Wales reporter

Doctors in Wales have accepted a pay offer from the Welsh government.

This will be seen as a win for the Labour Party, which is in power in Wales.

The British Medical Association announced on Friday that the three separate disputes between the government and consultants, junior doctors, and specialists, had come to an end.

In a referendum, 96% of junior doctors voted to accept a pay uplift of 7.4%, bringing the total to 12.4% backdated to April 2023.

Some 86% of consultants and 82% of SAS doctors also voted to end their disputes.

Dr Oba Babs-Osibodu and Dr Peter Fahey, co-chairs of the BMA's Welsh Junior Doctors Committee, said junior doctors had been "undervalued".

"While we are pleased with the progress we have made, the fight for full pay restoration is far from over," they added.

Wales's first minister, Vaughan Gething, said the Welsh government had "listened to doctors" - and had negotiated a deal which "ensures doctors are back at work".

Health secretary Eluned Morgan said the government had negotiated the deal "despite the most severe financial situation we've faced in the devolution era".

"It means all our efforts are now focused on ensuring the best possible clinical outcomes for people in Wales," she added.

Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to the general election.

With under a week to go, the Tories and Labour have taken a drop, while support for Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats is on the rise.

Read more about the trackerhere.

During his BBC radio interview, Sir Keir Starmer said the tax-free withdrawal of lump sums from pensions would lapse in two or three years.

Labour have since clarified the leader was talking about something else.

A party spokesperson said: "The ability to withdraw 25% of your pension as tax-free lump sum is a permanent feature of the tax system and Labour are not planning to change this.

"Keir was referring to temporary tax breaks in the system that are due to expire and which the public finances assume will not continue, like increasing the stamp duty threshold for first-time buyers from £300,000 to £425,000."

The final question put to Sir Keir Starmer during his BBC interview is whether he will resign if he loses the election badly.

He simply responds "yes".

Considering his party is 20 points ahead in the polls, it is not immediately clear what a "bad" loss would equate to.