Reform UK has launched internal investigations after an undercover ITV documentary captured party councillors and candidates making racist, misogynistic, and violent remarks. The footage, filmed over the past year, features local officials using slurs and advocating for extreme measures, prompting multiple resignations and a party-wide crisis ahead of the film’s October 18 broadcast.
Racist Remarks and Violent Threats by Party Officials
The undercover investigation, conducted by ITV’s Exposure team, exposes a series of inflammatory comments made by individuals vetted by Reform UK to stand for public office. The documentary followed candidates and councillors across England and Wales during the May local elections and four by-election campaigns in 2025 and 2026. In the footage, Feeney describes Asian homeowners as “parasitesand suggests that
no more than 1% of [the] British population can be non-white.”
Feeney’s remarks also included proposals for the mass removal of residents. You’d need a proper nuclear option, like literally drag them out of their homes, stick them on planes and f*** them off to Pakistan,
he was recorded saying. During a discussion regarding a potential mosque, Feeney and other candidates, including Jamie Campbell and Chris Whelan, were filmed discussing their opposition. After making racist comments, Feeney remarked, Oh god, we’re all going to end up in the papers.
Other officials targeted the Royal Family. Dean Miller, a Reform councillor in Bromley, was filmed claiming, Apparently King Charles is a f*cking Muslim… someone from the inside saw a f*cking prayer mat and all that in one of his f*cking rooms.
Miller further stated, I think that’s f*cking traitorous… cut the c*nt’s head off.
Additionally, candidate Martin Roberts, who stood in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, was caught using racist language regarding Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch. When asked if his comments were because she is Black, Roberts laughed and referenced a racist slur. He later told ITV News he was trying to be humorous and informal
while admitting the language was “inappropriate.”
Misogynistic behavior was also documented. Chris Whelan was recorded making sexualized comments about a female Reform candidate, stating, If she was my daughter, it would still be bath night on a Thursday. I'll wash you properly this time.
Resignations and Party Response
The disclosures have triggered a wave of departures. Alan Feeney mutually agreed to resign from Reform UK, citing personal reasons,
though he continues to serve as an Independent councillor. Chris Whelan also resigned from the party for personal and health reasons.
Reform UK has attempted to distance itself from the comments, accusing the broadcasters of using extreme methods of deception
to infiltrate their headquarters and internal systems. This is the same for all organisations. The party confirmed that investigations have commenced regarding members and councillors who behaved inappropriately, and that in some cases, individuals have been suspended.
Political Fallout and Vetting Promises
The timing of the revelations has put significant pressure on party leader Nigel Farage, who had previously promised to professionalize the party and eliminate extremist elements. Despite his 2024 pledges to root out “bad apples,the investigation suggests the vetting system remains ineffective. Nick Lowles, chief executive of the anti-racism group HOPE not hate, stated that the evidence piles up as to why Reform is
completely unfit for office.”
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey described the footage as “chilling,” comparing the rhetoric to the worst seen in American politics. As the party prepares for the full broadcast of Undercover: A Year In Reform on October 18 at 10.20pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV, and STV Player, the party faces continued scrutiny over its candidate standards and whether it can maintain its political ambitions while addressing systemic concerns raised by the investigation.
