Keir Starmer 'shares his disgust' at comments made by Reform UK canvasser as he shows support for Rishi Sunak
29 June 2024, 13:51 | Updated: 30 June 2024, 07:23
Sir Keir Starmer has expressed his support for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after footage emerged of a Reform UK canvasser calling him a racial slur.
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Footage of the bigoted comments being made by canvassers was taken by TV reporters in Clacton, where Mr Farage hopes to become an MP in next week's General Election.
An activist was recorded saying migrants should be used as "target practice".
In response, Mr Sunak said: "Well, my two daughters have to see and hear Reform people who campaign for Nigel Farage calling me an effing 'P***'."It hurts and it makes me angry and I think he has some questions to answer. And 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."
Following this, Sir Keir said: "I thought what he said about his daughters in particular was very powerful and I'm glad he said it.
"I share his disgust at the comments that were made."
Read more: Rishi Sunak speaks of 'hurt and anger' at daughters having to hear Reform campaigner's P*** slur
Sunak says Reform campaigner’s racial slur hurts and Farage has questions to answer
Mr Farage said the comments were "appalling" and "bear no relation: to his own views.
Essex Police said officers are "urgently assessing" comments made by Reform campaigners in the footage broadcast on Channel 4 "to establish if there are any criminal offences".
A spokesman for Essex Police said this afternoon: "We are aware of comments made during a Channel 4 News programme and we are urgently assessing them to establish if there are any criminal offences."
Reform UK campaigners heard making racial slurs in Channel 4 sting
The comments were made by Andrew Parker. It has since emerged that he is an actor, although Channel 4 has maintained that it was in no way set up.
“I’ve always been a Tory voter,” he was filmed saying.
“But what annoys me is that f---ing P--- we’ve got in. What good is he? You tell me, you know. He’s just wet. F---ing useless.”
In a statement, Mr Parker responded: “I would like to make it clear that neither Nigel Farage personally or the Reform Party are aware of my personal views on immigration.”
Responding to the footage, the Reform UK leader said: “I am dismayed by the reported comments of a handful of people associated with my local campaign, particularly those who are volunteers.“
The appalling sentiments expressed by some in these exchanges bear no relation to my own views, those of the vast majority of our supporters or Reform UK policy. Some of the language used was reprehensible.”
It comes less than two weeks after a Reform UK parliamentary candidate resigned after social media comments emerged in which he called on people to vote for the British National Party.
Read more: Nigel Farage ‘dismayed’ after Reform UK canvasser ‘filmed calling Rishi Sunak f*****g p**i’
Reform candidate insists campaigner who made slur against Sunak is 'not related' to the party
