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Farage has questions to answer over racist volunteer, says ‘hurt and angry’ Sunak
Andrew Parker says sorry for ‘heat of the moment’ Sunak slur and claims ‘he’s had Muslim girlfriends’
28 June 2024 • 10:28am
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Andrew Parker admits being an actor CREDIT: CHANNEL FOUR
Rishi Sunak has said he is “hurt and angry” after a Reform UK volunteer was filmed calling him a “f-- p---”.
Andrew Parker was recorded making the comments by undercover reporters for Channel 4 News.
Several activists who were working in Nigel Farage’s Clacton campaign office were dismissed following the investigation.
On a campaign visit to a school in Teesside, the Prime Minister told broadcasters: “My two daughters have to see and hear Reform people who campaign to Nigel Farage calling me an effing p---. It hurts and it makes me angry, and I think he has some questions to answer.
“I don’t repeat those words lightly. I do so deliberately, because this is too important not to call out clearly for what it is.”
Asked if he was frustrated that some former Tory voters are leaning towards Reform UK when their activists are making racist and homophobic comments, Mr Sunak said: “When you see Reform candidates and campaigners seemingly using racist and misogynistic language and opinion, seemingly without challenge, I think it tells you something about the culture in the Reform party.
“Andrew Tate isn’t an important voice for men. He’s a vile misogynist. And our politics and country is better than that.
“As Prime Minister, but more importantly as a father of two young girls, it’s my duty to call out this corrosive and divisive behaviour.”
Mr Sunak said he repeated a racial slur used against him by the canvasser, because it is important to call it out for what it is. The Prime Minister said: “I hate having to do it, I chose my words deliberately, I hate having to repeat them, absolutely hate it.
“But I also think it’s important to call this out for what it is and be clear about what it is.”
Mr Parker apologised for the comments today, saying he was “goaded on”.
He also confirmed he was an actor but got involved with Reform UK after contacting the party himself and volunteering to do leafleting because he believes in its message. He said he had not told the party that he was an actor.
Mr Parker said: “Of course I regret what I said. Christ, I’m not a racist. I’ve had Muslim girlfriends. It was typical chaps-down-the-pub talk.”
Asked whether he would like to apologise, he said: “Of course I’m sorry. They were off-the-cuff things that everyone says.”
He said he had “a lot of Pakistani friends” and “Muslim friends”, and that he was “sick to death” of being asked about the footage.
Reform investigating actor claims
It comes after Reform UK said it is investigating the actor claims about the volunteer.
Several activists who were working in Nigel Farage’s Clacton campaign office were dismissed on Thursday by the party following the investigation by Channel 4 News.
After the party activist was recorded describing the Prime Minister as a “f-- p---”, Mr Farage later called the remarks “reprehensible”.
Nigel Farage said Andrew Parker's remarks 'bear no relation to my own views' CREDIT: MARTIN POPE/ZU,A PRESS WIRE/SHUTTERSTOCK
On Friday, Isabel Oakeshott told Talk TV viewers of the “potentially sensational new twist” to the Channel 4 exposé.
She said: “You know, there was bewilderment within the party yesterday, as to who this guy was. The party was certainly familiar with some of the other characters and there’s no excuse for any of the languages that they used, but the worst language the most egregious comments were from Andrew Parker who is really not a player within the Reform Party. So it’s just very, very murky.
“He bears a remarkable resemblance to an actor whose details can be quite easily found on the internet. You can use software recognition that gives a 99.9 per cent confidence rate that they are the same people – a professional actor, and crucially, this professional actor specialises in so-called ‘rough voices’.
“So if you’ve been to his show reel his rough voice is exactly the same as the voice of the character in the on the Channel 4 undercover documentary. An urgent investigation is now underway.”
She added: “If it turns out that this character was a paid actor or even acting in a voluntary capacity for whatever their reasons, you know, maybe they have a political agenda. I don’t know. If that turns out to be the case. Then there will be hell to pay for the production company and Channel 4.”
Channel 4 rejects claim that volunteer was paid actor
Channel 4 has hit back at claims that Mr Parker was a paid actor.
A spokesman for the broadcaster said: “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.”
The undercover reporter went canvassing with Mr Parker, who told him what to say on the doorstep.
Giving his view on Muslims and what the party would do with mosques, he said: “Sick mate. Sick m--f---”, adding: “It’s a cult. I tell you what, if you don’t know about Islam, it is the most disgusting cult.
“We’re f-- kicking all the Muslims out of the mosques and turning them into Wetherspoons.”
In the same conversation, Mr Parker said: “I’ve always been a Tory voter but what annoys me is that f-- p- we’ve got in. What good is he? You tell me, you know. He’s just wet. F---- useless.”
Talking to a prospective voter on the doorstep, Mr Parker is also heard expressing his views on how to stop the boats, suggesting Army recruits should carry out “target practice”.
Mr Parker previously told Channel 4 he wanted to “apologise profusely to Nigel Farage and the Reform Party if my personal views have reflected badly on them and brought them into disrepute”.
Farage: Whole episode does not add up
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Farage said: “Andrew Parker was the man that made the astonishing racist comments that have given us so much negative coverage.
“We now learn that he is an actor by profession. His own website says he is ‘well spoken’ but from the moment he arrived in Clacton he was doing what he calls ‘rough speaking’. This whole episode does not add up.”
Mr Farage also questioned whether Channel 4 had subjected other political parties to “similar subterfuges”, but made no excuses for the behaviour of the volunteers.
He said: “I am dismayed by the reported comments of a handful of people associated with my local campaign, particularly those who are volunteers. They will no longer be with the campaign.”