{
  "id": 16730381,
  "title": "Nigel Farage says Reform candidates won’t be banned for backing Tommy Robinson online",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/nigel-farage-says-reform-candidates-wont-be-banned-for-backing-tommy",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-27T09:25:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Politico EU",
    "slug": "politico-eu",
    "url": "https://www.politico.eu/article/nigel-farage-says-reform-candidates-wont-be-banned-for-backing-tommy-robinson-online/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, stated on Tuesday that party candidates will not face bans for supporting far-right activist Tommy Robinson on social media. Farage, who has sought to distance his right-wing party from Robinson and his activists, told Radio 4’s Today program that liking Robinson's posts shouldn't disqualify someone from representing Reform UK. The UK politician emphasized that he wouldn't ban anyone for expressing support for Robinson, although he expressed that he wouldn't support such a stance himself. Farage also stated that he doesn't want to contribute to a \"world of cancel culture,\" although he admitted that he might sanction someone if they supported something deemed \"outright wrong.\" When asked if expressing support for Robinson's posts would warrant a sanction, Farage responded that it depended on the specific content of the post, but he vowed to run a party where the support for certain individuals or views was not tolerated. Reform UK has come under criticism for its candidate vetting process since Farage returned as leader in 2024. An ITV undercover documentary revealed that candidates were encouraged to delete social media accounts that included support for Robinson before applying. Farage, however, claimed that his party vetted candidates more stringently than any other political party and criticized others for not holding their candidates accountable for questionable comments. Tommy Robinson, a controversial figure with multiple criminal convictions, is currently on trial for two counts of harassment causing fear of violence towards two journalists, charges he denies.",
  "summary": "Reform UK leader says far-right activist isn't his \"cup of tea\" but he \"wouldn't ban anyone\" standing for the party who has liked his posts.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}