UK's hard-right Reform party hit by fresh scandal as racist views caught on camera

The hard-right Reform UK party in the UK has faced a new scandal after undercover footage revealed racist language used by some of its councillors and candidates. ITV News aired a 90-minute programme titled "Undercover: A Year in Reform," capturing instances where black children were referred to as "animals" and Reform members claimed Asian families were "infesting" their areas and "absolute parasites."

The party's response to the revelations was swift, with a spokesperson stating that "where members, activists and councillors have clearly behaved inappropriately, investigations have commenced. In some cases, there have been suspensions and due process must be followed." However, Labour Party chair Bridget Phillipson called the comments "examples of extreme racism," urging Reform leader Nigel Farage not to dismiss the revelations as isolated cases.

This latest controversy follows previous scandals involving Reform UK. Last month, Dan Jukes, a long-term aide to Farage, and James Orr, the party's head of policy, resigned after police were alerted to allegations of the party violating donation rules in an undercover investigation by Channel 4 News. Farage has been under intense scrutiny over his party's financial arrangements and a £5.0-million personal gift from Thai-based British businessman Christopher Harborne.

Reform UK had gained significant traction in opinion polls last year but recently placed third behind the ruling Labour Party and the Conservatives in a YouGov survey. The ITV investigation, titled "Undercover: A Year in Reform," will air on Sunday.