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

So you're ignoring the point about all the other people in the footage who aren't Parker? People like George Jones who Reform can't disown?

It’s not due to belief in C4’s investigation process, it’s due to common sense and the evidence in front of your eyes. Nobody challenged him, nobody seemed particularly shocked, nobody batted an eyelid and Mr Paramilitary joined in. The actor story is a lie to try to cover how abhorrent Reform is.

As I said I knew this would happen a couple of years ago. A shift to this kind of politics and uptick in what comes with it.

You’ll likely see it increase when Labour gets in.

So no the rest doesn’t surprise me. I can’t see it changing until what underpins it changes

It's also not 'unfortunate' that Parker happens to have some kind of - extreme limited - acting experience (with zero evidence that he is any good at acting! He doesn't seem to have had any roles!) It doesn't make it any more likely that he's acting in this instance. Actors have lives, actors have political views, actors don't go through life acting all the time anymore than a musician sings everything they say.

So you accept that there are racists in Reform but still think Channel 4 would put a fake racist in their footage? Why not just use a real racist since there are plenty to choose from (some featured in the footage)? What's the point?

As I said I have not concluded either way, it is you who is certain

I looked up the guy to see what people were talking about and linked a site with two clips, one a natural voice saying what he did and the other selling in his acting voice

People can listen and think as they want it’s no odds to me. I wondered why you were certain hence the question

It's so disingenuous to pretend this elaborate conspiracy theory is even remotely plausible. Channel 4 filmed several Reform racists. One of them has an unsuccessful acting career - if anything, we can see from his history that he is bad at acting and has failed to secure any roles. Yet somehow he's pulled off the performance of a lifetime here and managed to fool experienced investigative journalists and get through all of their processes? For no apparent reason, since there are plenty of racists already present for Channel 4 to film - which they did. And not one of the other Reform racists on video were remotely surprised or shocked with the extremist racist comments he made - they agreed and they joined in.

There are a lot of absurd conspiracy theories in the world that are spread for political advantage - for example, that the election was 'stolen' from Trump. Baseless, unconvincing lies and bluster that are patently untrue. This is one of them. They spread like weeds, they are damaging and they are dangerous and they provide a cover for people like Farage.

Well he can put the voice on that is not in question if you listen to the two clips. Did you listen?

But as I said in pp maybe you’re right he just puts on that voice for some stuff irl

But so what? The voice thing doesn't make it any more likely that this thing was faked. Bringing it up as though it casts any doubt on the investigation is tedious and pointless.

"It's so disingenuous to pretend this elaborate conspiracy theory is even remotely plausible. Channel 4 filmed several Reform racists. One of them has an unsuccessful acting career - if anything, we can see from his history that he is bad at acting and has failed to secure any roles. Yet somehow he's pulled off the performance of a lifetime here and managed to fool experienced investigative journalists and get through all of their processes? For no apparent reason, since there are plenty of racists already present for Channel 4 to film - which they did. "

Well said.
I am continually amazed but who will swallow this drivel.

You probably hold a C4 investigation in higher regard than I do.

This wasn’t particularly interesting to me until I looked up what all the posts were about

As for why why does any media outlet generate views and try for attention

Ratings and £

Watching stuff about Reform people is low interest to me I admit

For fuck's sake.

There were other racists there. They filmed other racists. This is one racist they filmed among many. Racists keep popping up all over Reform. No one needs to put fake racists in there.

Yes there are others and you’ll likely see more in the next few years

I don’t doubt it in fact I predicted it would be the case.

Congratulations, what wonderful insight you have, I'm sure you're the only person to have noticed. Must be why you can see right through all that investigative journalism too, no doubt you 'do your own research'.

And yet somehow fall for an absurd conspiracy theory with zero credibility.

Oh no, sorry, you 'haven't concluded either way' - very open-minded of you.

You've repeated ad nauseum that you saw this coming, yes we get it, we were all here for the Brexit referendum and everything that preceded it, this doesn't come as a surprise.

It's why none of us are surprised by this footage either.

I don’t think any of us can be too surprised that the racist nutters have come crawling back out of the woodwork now that that hero for stupid people Farage has taken over as head of the company.

Nor should we be forgetting that this is the clown that dragged the already vile tories even further right and a labour party too infiltrated to affect significant change in the same direction.

I agree, it seems odd that C4 news, who are probably the best at investigative reporting on British TV didn't pick it up, they described him as a businessman, which is most likely true, but a quick google leads you to his agent, IMDB, equity membership etc.

I'm not saying C4 were complicit in anything, but they were sloppy in their due diligence. Had they introduced him as "Businessman and bit part actor" then it would be transparent.

I'm still curious as to why he seemed to be in character rather than himself, its odd - this of course doesn't effect the other idiots C4 filmed.

However I do agree with them on one point, that police cars should not be decorated to promote any group or cause, they should be decalled uniformly as police cars, nothing else.

Thanks for congrats although the amount of backlash posts got on this potential shift to this kind of politics do not reflect your idea that others could see it

It’s messy now but I reckon it’ll increase until realistic conversations can take place. So I’ll see in a couple of years if they have

And no I haven’t decided I don’t really care that much if he is or not tbh it is you that is getting worked up

The EU, US and UK will have bigger issues outside a C4 guy and people focusing on this story

I'm not particularly worried about reform, they are not going to win this election, they may get a few seats, fair enough - like similar parties in Europe they do represent many peoples views on some issues and if people vote them in, in a democracy that is right.

I don't think Reform will exist at the next election, it has been through so many guises, Referendum Party, UKIP, Brexit Party etc... by next time it will have a new name.

However I do agree with them on one point, that police cars should not be decorated to promote any group or cause, they should be decalled uniformly as police cars, nothing else*

Selective rephrasing here! Jones didn't make the point that police cars shouldn't have any causes printed on them. He objected to the Pride flag on the basis that gay people are 'nonces' and said that under a Reform government the police would be replaced by paramilitaries.

We don't know that Jones would object to other logos or symbols on police cars. His objection wasn't because he favours neutrality; it was a homophobic objection and nothing else.

Are you concerned about Reform influencing other parties and pulling them further to the right?

I honestly don't think reform voters will care. I am horrified but not surprised, I usually wince at these things but it's exactly what I expect from reform EXACTLY. The anti immigration and little islander attitude has always been an undercurrent in this country.

The EU, US and UK will have bigger issues outside a C4 guy and people focusing on this story

First deflect - oh well maybe this was all a setup! Who can say???!

Then minimise - well, actually it doesn't matter because it's unimportant in the scheme of things and I'm much too clever and foresighted to care about this bit of trivia.

too far to the left is as dangerous as too far to the right - the country has real problems, immigration being one, and a tough stance and clear policy is the only thing that will sort it and other things out.

If reform's popularity causes the bigger parties to formulate, fair, but firm and enforceable policies, great.

We should all really be grateful when Reform activists advocate shooting everyone of colour, it's so good for the political climate