Reform campaigners in Clacton

[CassieMaddox]

Channel 4 news gone undercover with Reform campaigners in Clacton (where Farage is standing).
Just shocking. They aren't even pretending to be anything other than BNP in suits at this point.

https://www.channel4.com/news/exclusive-undercover-inside-reforms-campaign-evidence-of-homophobia-and-canvassers-racism

Not saying either way but wondered who the guy was and this shows his normal well spoken voice and his acting voice

https://www.mandy.com/u/andrew-parker-1/

https://www.mandy.com Is just a site for actors to get jobs for those who like to know a link before clicking

It's clutching at straws and it's truly pathetic. People code switch all the time - for example, people talk about using their 'teacher voice' in the classroom and then talking more informally outside work.

Someone going around Clacton trying to drum up Reform support is going to adopt their 'man of the people' voice and sound as chummy and relatable as possible.

It's desperate and utterly nonsensical that Reform have seized onto this part of his CV - he does not have a successful acting career behind him.

And no one needs to fake an exposè of racism in Reform - they are a racist movement.

It is not remotely plausible to anyone with a functioning brain cell that Channel 4 would fake this or be fooled or that this bloke would participate in such a far-fetched ludicrous scam. They went to film racism in Reform and they found it. Because it's there.

Maybe.

It’s a good clip to show the voices

No idea he could be as you say

And I'll just say again - Andrew Parker was not the only person filmed by Channel 4.

Other racists - and homophobes - who are established within Reform and who have zero acting credits, were also filmed making racist and homophobic comments.

Nor did any of the others in the footage challenge Parker in any way. Racism is accepted and tolerated within Reform. They were happy to work with someone making the statements that Parker made. They joined in. George Jones made similar statements and Reform cannot deny that he is one of them.

Is Nigel Farage an actor?
Was Margaret Thatcher?

They change their voices/persona when campaigning and speaking to the press?

Outside that clip generally I think Reform is similar to some EU parties capitalising on growing issues

Unless someone can work out how to resolve what underpins it this stuff may grow

I think it’s sad to see but I also don’t see any realism yet about why and how to address the issue

The Brexit campaign taught politicians they can just lie - just say the lie, repeat the lie, embed the lie - and people will believe it. More people see the lie than the challenges and the corrections.

Farage's pathetic, absurd, ridiculous and incoherent lie about Parker being a plant and this being a setup is out there and there are people clinging onto it. People with an odd doublethink - because everyone knows that Reform are racist but have to pretend they aren't whilst also making very clear that they are - will keep parroting it, as ludicrous as it is.

Lying works. At the expense of democracy, and to all of our detriment, but it does.

I’m not concluding either way, you may be right

There is no doubt he was playing a role here, at least in part, and it seems incredible that C4 or him would meet up by happenstance, so the question is what is his agenda, and who, if anyone is behind him.

It might make more sense to ask who funds Reform Ltd, and indeed the Brexit campaign.

#putin

Farage's response is straight out of the fascist playbook. Deflect and gaslight so people can't trust facts and are reliant on the "strong leader" to tell them "the truth".

This being a "set up" doesn't explain all of what happened (the stuff with George Jones for example)

Reform being a party that attracts racists and far right nut jobs does.

Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat are busy saying Reform are racist to support their prospective leadership campaigns! The Conservatives have a massive problem; anyone who is voting Reform won’t give a damn about these comments or will dismiss them. Farage has already said it’s the talk of ordinary folk.

Why vote Conservative and at best get a watered down policy on migration when you can go much further with Reform?

Farage wants an environment like Le Pen has in France imo. And he is driving that change. The Conservatives don’t have a clue; and not a leg to stand on re racism. Hester, leaving the ECHR, talking about invasion all for nothing. He’s come to claim his territory. And there is nothing they can do. 20 percent of voters for Reform by the date of the election. And the Conservatives have done this to themselves. They won’t claim it back easily.

This will probably make them more attractive to their core supporters, against all the woke snowflakes.......

Nor did any of the others in the footage challenge Parker in any way

Very good point. If Reform UK Ltd isn't stuffed full of racists, why didn't any of them express horror at Parker calling Sunak an effing p-word?

I think I'd disagree that 'ordinary folk' want to shoot anyone who isn't white. I know it's Farage saying that, not you @bombastix but it's worth saying that the kind of violent, hateful racism spewed by Reform campaigners and activists as evidenced in this footage isn't 'ordinary' - it's extreme. Don't let them get away with saying it's what everyone secretly thinks or how everyone talks. There are vast swathes of people who aren't extreme, violent racists and it's only in Farage's interests to try to convince us otherwise.

(Not saying there isn't a lot of racism, of course there is. But it isn't everyone or even most people. It's significant - but it's not ordinary).

Reform's policy on immigration is to cut it down. Their policy on the small boats is unworkable. Reform aren't planning to do anything revolutionary regarding immigration.

Come on! This is not the gotcha some think it is. In fact it is a licence for more. That suits Farage and his agenda.

A lot of Conservatives leadership contenders are kidding themselves. And they cannot compete with this very bold, very right wing message. It’s a hop, skip and a jump to the next line which is Reform being considered the true patriotic Conservative voice.

Exactly!

This is what I think. There are a limited number of people who have Reform values so hopefully their voter base will top out well, well, below the point they can form a majority.

I think chasing those votes is where the Tories have destroyed themselves. They should leave those racists to it and not pander to them in language, policies etc

It's absolutely going to work to Reform's advantage with their base of support @bombastix and you're right that the Conservatives have stoked up racism to suit their own agenda. But more people are horrified by the stuff recorded in this footage than are cheering it on.

I don't think it's going to damage Reform - the people voting for them will vote for them anyway; they'll buy into Farage's ridiculous 'actor' lie and convince themselves 'I'm not racist but...' or else they'll be the kind of people who really do say and think these things.

But we should still point out, challenge and condemn racism and hate speech. Not as a 'gotcha' but as basic human decency. We should still be really clear that Reform is fuelled by ugly, violent racism because it is.

I’m not for Reform, but I felt it was inevitable a couple of years ago so it’s not much surprise, however I think we’ll see more of this when Labour get in

Labour’s policies will stoke their anger and we’ll keep following EU countries who are ahead on this

But why are you so convinced about the guy? I admit I don’t know. What are you relying on to know for sure

The guy was campaigning for Reform back in April

https://x.com/g_gosden/status/1806915498069623272

Sure I agree with @TaxiCabsAndBusyStreets but…

This is a narrative problem. I do not think the Conservatives have much of a counter narrative. Where are the realms of activists for the Conservatives?

Nowhere. They don’t know what to do. Either kiss up to this kind of politics or reject it and draw a line.

Their next leader has to walk this line and do it better than Nigel Farage. And I don’t think they have anyone who can do that and reclaim their vote from Reform.

Don't be ridiculous @easternstandard - the 'setup' thing is patently untrue. This is a Channel 4 investigation. Of course it isn't faked and nor does it need to be. Andrew Parker is one person in the footage - he goes unchallenged by the Reform members and supporters that he's with. His racist comments are accepted as normal by them. George Jones joins in and makes his own racist and homophobic contributions - how do you explain that?

Parker is hardly some great successful actor. Acting is not his job and it doesn't appear that he is a talent capable of pulling off some great deception. Channel 4 wouldn't collude, and they wouldn't be duped either. Their investigation team actually are extremely talented and capable, and they do their due diligence. Parker is just another Reform racist.

Are all the other racists who've stood for Reform actors as well or is it just this one?

I’m not being ‘ridiculous’ I’m asking why you are so sure

And I see it’s due to belief in C4 investigation process

I know there are many people who voice opinions along the same lines, unfortunately for C4 they captured one who sells voice acting in his profile

It doesn’t really bother me either way I just found it interesting you were so certain