Nigel Farage is under scrutiny for allegedly ignoring racism accusations by not dismissing a candidate who suggested that David Lammy should return to the Caribbean. The pressure is increasing on the Reform leader to take action against Chris Parry following the revelation of the controversial statement over a week ago. Despite being confronted with the comment, Mr. Farage’s deputy, Richard Tice, declined to denounce the Hampshire and Solent mayoral hopeful.
London-born Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has urged Reform to address what he described as “1950s-style hate.” Labour chairwoman Anna Turley wrote a letter to Mr. Farage, asserting that removing Mr. Parry from the party and rescinding his candidacy for the Hampshire and Solent mayoral race is essential to demonstrate a serious stance against racism within the party.
In a past incident in February, Mr. Parry shared a news article on Twitter about slavery reparations, stating that Lammy should go back to the Caribbean where his loyalty supposedly lies. During an interview on Talk TV, Mr. Parry avoided directly addressing whether he believed Lammy’s primary allegiance was to the UK.
Despite the controversy, Reform MP Danny Kruger refrained from condemning Mr. Parry, citing lack of awareness about the context of the statement. Mr. Tice, speaking at a press conference in Westminster, claimed unfamiliarity with the situation and emphasized the need for political challenges rather than focusing on personal opinions about Lammy’s performance.
In response to the ongoing situation, Anna Turley criticized Reform for not taking any action against Mr. Parry despite the passage of time. She highlighted the importance of addressing racist remarks made by party members and pointed out previous instances where Reform had acted against individuals for similar behavior, like revoking Ian Cooper’s membership for online abuse towards Sadiq Khan and David Lammy.
Keir Starmer addressed the matter during PMQs, accusing Nigel Farage of fostering “chaos and division” by tolerating such controversial statements within the party.
