Reform UK

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Reform UK (formerly The Brexit Party) is a hard-Eurosceptic political party in UK that splintered from UKIP in January 2019 and officially launched on the 12th of April 2019. It won 29 members to the European Parliament in May 2019, but no MPs in the UK general election later that year.[1] The party has the rather foolish slogan "Let's Make Britain Great". It's foolish because the island has been known as "Great Britain" since Ptolemy called it "μεγάλη Βρεττανία" in 147-148 CE.[2]:112-113

In January 2021 the Party rebranded itself to 'Reform UK', with electoral and House of Lords reform considered top priorities for the party.[3] Its first leader Nigel Farage quit in March 2021 to focus on other priorities such as Twitter (presumably having realised he would never get elected to anything); he was replaced as leader by Richard Tice, the former chairperson.[4]

History[edit]

Nigel Farage[5][6] and several other UKIP MEPs,[7][8][9] including its Scottish leader, David Coburn[10] quit the United Kingdom Independence Party in late 2018, over infighting about anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson being given an advisor role by Gerard Batten, as well as the party increasingly becoming more Islamophobic and extreme in its policies.[11]

In January 2019, Farage said he was joining the new Brexit Party. It was created on 20th of January and registered with the electoral commission on 5th of February 2019 by former UKIP Economic Spokesman, Catherine Blaiklock.Wikipedia In February 2019, Farage joined the Brexit Party alongside seven other ex-UKIP MEPs: Tim Aker, Paul Nuttall, Jonathan Bullock, David Coburn, Bill Etheridge, Nathan Gill and Julia Reid who are now all (as of 19 February 2019) listed as Brexit Party MEPs on the Europe.eu website.[12] Some other ex-UKIP MEPs e.g. Steven WoolfeWikipedia have said they will support the party, but sit as independents because they don't see the point in joining a new party with so little time left until Brexit is scheduled on 29 March, that is, unless there is an extension to the withdrawal process by extending Article 50, which seems unlikely. On BBC Newsnight in February, Woolfe who still sits as an independent MEP stated that he would consider standing for the Brexit Party.

Amid the chaos of repeatedly delayed Brexit, the party did very well in the May 2019 European Parliament elections, becoming the largest British party with 29 MEPs (the Lib Dems were second with 19).[13] This was despite the fact that Farage's party had no manifesto and no policies other than getting the fuck out of Europe.[14] Eventually in September 2019 they unveiled another policy: abolishing inheritance tax.[15]

Pot, kettle black?[edit]

Farage has been called a hypocrite[16] for criticising the far-right association of UKIP under Batten's leadership, when he himself has long history of making xenophobic statements[17][18][19] and supporting individuals associated with the alt-right such as Paul Joseph Watson, Mark Meechan and Carl Benjamin. In 2017, Farage also campaigned for the Alternative für Deutschland[20] who at that time were adopting anti-Muslim immigration policies similar to those of For Britain, an anti-Islam party that splintered from UKIP after the failure of Anne Marie Waters to take control of the party in the UKIP leadership election, 2017.Wikipedia Yet Farage has heavily criticized Waters, describing her as a racist.[21]

No, but really where's the difference?[edit]

Although Farage criticises Robinson and Waters, there is actually very little different in their views concerning immigration and Islam, only that Farage is more cautious in public not to make outright anti-Muslim statements as he realises it will be political suicide. Despite Farage leaving UKIP in December 2018 to become an independent MEP because of the party being widely perceived as a racist anti-Muslim party and dropping to as low as 5-6% in opinion polls, there were resignations a year earlier such as by UKIP MEP Jonathan Arnott who said he disapproved of the hard-right wing shift of UKIP on "religious and cultural issues"[22] and by ex-UKIP donor Arron Banks, who as early as April 2017 said UKIP is going in the wrong direction for flirting for the first time with Islamophobic policies in the run up to the 2017 General Election[23] when the UKIP manifesto's "Integration Agenda" was likened to the British National Party's.[24] Farage never left the party at this point nor raised any concerns about UKIP's new Muslim-bashing policies, and so his reasons for leaving might not be what he claims, for example it has been suggested " Farage craves two things: power and the spotlight. UKIP can no longer provide him with either – so why stick around?"[25] On the other hand while his motivations for leaving UKIP are perhaps still questionable, Farage has been praised for distancing himself from Robinson and the EDL's street thuggery and hooliganism that Batten has allowed into UKIP.[26]

Catherine Blaiklock[edit]

The Brexit Party is trying to promote itself as a more moderate alternative to UKIP that Farage has described as taken over by extremists.[27] However, the party's founder Catherine Blaiklock has a history of making inflammatory comments about Muslims, and appears to be a counter-jihad crank with views that are the same as Tommy Robinson and Anne Marie Waters, having even written articles for a pro-Robinson website.[28] Iman Atta, director of Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks), which records anti-Muslim incidents, has said:

Blaiklock’s comments are jaw dropping and show a penchant for polarised views on Muslims. When Farage resigned from UKIP in December he said that UKIP was "turning a blind eye to extremist politics" and had become "obsessed with Islam". It seems he has backed another organisation whose head is obsessed with Islam and who has a very skewed view of Muslims."

Blaiklock for example has accused Muslim men of “impregnating white British girls to create Muslim babies”, claiming it’s “pretty well-known” that Muslims in the west think “someday this will all be ours”.[29] She has also been criticized for making controversial comments about race such as black men are violent due to high testosterone,[30] but denies being a racist by bizarrely carrying a large framed photo of her black husband around with her.[31]

2019 European Elections[edit]

Because Brexit fell flat on its face, the UK had to go through European Elections in May 2019. The Brexit Party put up some choice candidates, and as a result of widespread dissatisfaction with the British government's failures got 29 MEPs elected to a parliament it wanted to leave. (Each region elects multiple candidates to the parliament.)[1]

Scotland[edit]

The party launched in Scotland in January 2021, with its Scottish leader already an MSP (Member of the Scottish Parliament) for South of Scotland. The party appointed Michelle Ballantyne, who was a member of the Scottish Conservative party until 2020, when she quit after failing to be chosen to replace Ruth Davidson as leader. She said she was looking for "angry" members of the public to stand as candidates.[32]

Richard Tice[edit]

Farage decided to give up the leadership in March 2021, reportedly feeling fed up with electoral politics and feeling his work on Brexit was done, although he would remain honorary president of Reform UK. He said he had been "reflecting on my role and my life over the course of the next few years" and had decided he could do more by being a troll on social media: he said he would concentrate on fighting the evil influence of China and on stopping "woke" progressives from changing the way British history is taught.[4]

His replacement was Richard Tice: Reform UK is not a democratic organization so there was no leadership election. Nonetheless, Farage said that Tice, who was formerly party chair, would "democratise" Reform UK and try and improve its organization to maybe try and get some MPs.[33] Tice's day job is in property asset management, as boss of Quidnet Capital LLP and formerly working for commercial property company CLS Holdings.[34] He is in a relationship with Isabel OakeshottWikipedia, the right-wing journalist most famous for claiming David Cameron stuck his penis in a pig's head.[35][36] Tice's own sexual proclivities are unrecorded.

In the party's 2021 autumn conference Tice explained that the party's priorities would be campaigning for low taxes and healthcare, and opposing Boris Johnson and the government's Covid restrictions; he also suggested a move away from culture war rhetoric of the sort Farage loves.[37]

Electoral pact with Reclaim Party[edit]

For the 2021 London mayoral and Greater London Assembly elections - Reform UK entered into a pact with Laurence Fox's Reclaim Party.[38] Fox ran for mayor as a candidate for Reclaim while Reform UK contested the GLA seats (constituency and regional lists). Fox would go on to win only 1.9% of the vote, whilst Reform UK won 0 seats in the GLA.

Next UK general election[edit]

Reform UK vowed to stand 600 candidates, one against every Conservative, in the next UK general election. This, however, lead to some very questionable selections, a large number of which had to be hurredly disowned by the party. The majority of these were precipitated by media examination of the candidates social media accounts, leading Tice to excalim, "For heaven's sake, if you're going to have a glass of wine on a Friday night then don't use social media, it's not sensible." Tice also claimed to have rushed to publish its list of candidates precisely so that they could be vetted by the media and other organisations, and maintained that, "every party has its fair share of muppets and morons."[39][40][41]

Muppets and morons[edit]

A number of candidates were subsequently withdrawn or disowned following media scrutiny in the run up to the election:

  • Pete Addis (candidate for South Shropshire) was disowned on April 9 due to racist social media posts, including using the racial slur "chinky," amd stating "Bum sex, this is where brown babies come from!" He has also called Angela Rayner,Wikipedia a 'slag' and a 'trollop', told journalist Ava Evans, "I'd shag you" after a "few more" pints of beer, and called for David Attenborough to be "killed off".[42]
  • Amodio Amato (candidate for Stevenage) was disowned on April 9 due to Islamophobic social media posts, including declaring London an "Islamic State," with, "a Muslim army run by Sadiq Khan,"Wikipedia proclaimed Humza Yousaf,Wikipedia "most certainly a Hamas terrorist supporter," and promoted the conspiracy theory that Michelle Obama is "a transvestite."[42][43]
  • Ginny Heathcote Ball (candidate for Rutland and Stamford) was disowned on March 21 due to racist and xenophobic social media posts from 2023, including telling radio presenter Nihal ArthanayakeWikipedia to "emigrate to a black-only country," demanding the deportation of activist Femi Oluwole,Wikipedia and calling Angela RaynerWikipedia a "slut." She has also called herself a "far-Right hooligan and proud of it," and incited for "a purge of the scum in the Labour Party" using the hashtag "AcidAttack".[39]
  • Richard Brown (candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough) is an islamaphobe, antivaxxer and COVID-19 denialist, who has shown support for Katie Hopkins, Tommy Robinson and Enoch Powell, and called Jess PhillipsWikipedia a "bitch."[39][44]
  • David Carpin (candidate for Henley and Thame) was disowned on February 21 due to homophobic and transphobic social media posts from 2023, including making comparisons between transgender/non-binary people and Adolf Hitler, calling trans women "mentally ill men," and saying gay pride was a "sin".[45][39]
  • Benjamin "Beau" Dade (candidate for Swindon South)[46] was disowned on March 22 due to racist and xenophobic comments made in The Mallard in 2022, including calling for the expulsion of "millions of foreigners and their dependents" and a "purge" of civil servants and judges who are "a cancer which must be cut out, regardless of the disruption it causes."[47][39]
  • Nick Davies (candidate for North East Bedfordshire) resigned on March 20 due to social media posts comparing Sadiq Khan to Adolf Hitler, and calling immigrants an "invasion" and a "silent army housed in hotels."[48]
  • Philip Durling (candidate for Stevenage) was disowned on May 1 for homophobic and racist social media posts, including suggesting adoptive gay parents are groomers, and suggesting the British nations having non-white leader is indicative of The Great Replacement.[49]
  • Joe "Mr Shrewsbury" Dyas (candidate for Shrewsbury) resigned on April 13 due to racist social media posts and support for the British National Party (BNP). One attack on Muslims read, "They come to this county, live off are benefits, wear all this fucking seek shit, bomb are sub ways".[50]
  • Mick Greenhough (candidate for Orpington) was disowned on April 3 for antisemetic and Islamophobic social media posts from 2023, including promoting white genocide conspiracies stating, "The only solution is to remove the Muslims from our territory," and the "problem is the Askenazi Jews who have caused the world massive misery."[51][52]
  • Ian Harris (candidate for Lewes) was disowned on April 6 for Islamophobic social media activity, including liking posts calling for the banning from office and deportation of Muslims by the likes of Nick Griffin, Tommy Robinson and Paul Joseph Watson. He has also like posts attacking Diane Abbott and Richard Tice.[53][54]
  • Roger Hoe (candidate for Beverley and Holderness) was disowned following the publication of social media posts praising Tommy Robinson, sharing COVID-19 misinformation and attacking "coloured illegals" and "the Islams".[39]
  • Jonathan Kay (candidate for South Ribble) was disowned on April 3 for racist and Islamophobic social media posts from 2019, including claiming Muslims and African people have IQs too low to serve in the US military, calling for the deportion of Muslims and they can "never coexist with others," and accusing Sadiq Khan of being a "Muslim supremacist supporter".[51][52]
  • Iris Leask (March 1956–)[55] (candidate for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) was disowned on April 7 after the publishing of social media posts calling for meat-eaters to "eat other humans" and for the human race to be "obliterated." She also said Ben WallaceWikipedia "should be left to die" in Afghanistan.[42][56]
  • Yvette Maxwell-Darkes (September 1959–)[57] (candidate for Swindon North)[46] was disowned prior to a March 31 Mail on Sunday article which quoted her saying on social media, "I actually like [Tommy Robinson] – he stands up and says things that most people think."[39]

The party, however, stood by some highly dubious candidates and officials, despite the scrutiny.[58][59]

  • Lee Bunker (South West Regional Manager) has called for the deportation of Diane Abbott and the conscription of migrants, who "are bringing in diseases with them", into the Ukrainian army.[44]
  • Mark Butcher (candidate for Blackpool South) is a red-pilled conspiracy theorist who has ranted about Agenda 21, the Kalergi Plan, the CIA invention of TV to put people to sleep, and the Government getting a person's weight in gold whenever they sign a document. He has also called the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)Wikipedia an “evil entity”.[60]
  • Chris Farmer (candidate for Gloucester) is a climate change denialist who has said, "Ignore all climate crisis claims, because they are invented to justify the creation of dictatorships.” He has also spread conspiracy about the World Economic Forum and the world's mayors colluding to ban private car use.[58][59]
  • Hamish Haddow (candidate for Chipping Barnet) was a Tory councillor until standing down over offensive tweets about Sadiq KhanWikipedia and Diane Abbott as well as showing support for Vladimir Putin,[61] who has described the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)Wikipedia “working as a taxi service for illegal immigrants”.[58][59]
  • Jacqui Harris (candidate for Kenilworth and Southam), was a Tory councillor until being suspended for claiming the Labour Party anti-Semitism row was "a false flag, probably masterminded by Mossad/CIA."[39]
  • Mark Hoath (candidate for Sutton Coldfield) is a COVID-19 denialist.[39]
  • Andrew Husband (candidate for North Durham) is an antivaxxer who has shared posts calling the COVID-19 vaccine the "greatest crime against humanity".[48][39]
  • Trevor Lloyd-Jones (candidate for Aldershot) is an antivaxxer, who has accused Matt HancockWikipedia of euthanizing elderly people with midazolam during the COVID-19 pandemic, and promoted the “15-minute cities” conspiracy theory.[58][59]
  • Noel Matthews (candidate for North West Leicestershire and National Organizer) has shared content defending Tommy Robinson and calling Islamophobia a silly, made up word.[62][63]
  • Lynn Murphy (candidate for Easington) is a climate change denialist, who has said, "You are deluded if you think the world is going to end due to climate change. The climate changes every season, we have Bill Gates creating clouds to block out the sun, yet the Earth is a fireball of molten lava, basic high school science teaches you that."[58][59]
  • Trevor Nicholls (candidate for Warrington North) is a white nationalist who has complained that proclaiming “our white pride” is denounced as racist, and “BEING PROUD TO BE WHITE” is “very close” to being a crime.[50]
  • Edward Oakenfull (candidate for Derbyshire Dales) has dubbed disabled asylum seekers 'disabled scroungers' who 'should go back to wherever they came from'. He has also claimed "importing loads of sub-Saharan Africans plus Muslims that inter-breed" created a "gene pool decline".[39]
  • Amelia Randall (March 1985–)[64] (candidate for Herne Bay and Sandwich) is a self-proclaimed fortune teller who has sold spells and psychic readings on Facedbook and OnlyFans.[39]
  • Sandra Senior (candidate for Ossett and Denby Dale) is an islamaphobe who has called Sadiq Khan, "London’s Islamic Mayor," and campaigned for bans on Halal meat, "the Niqab and Burqa." She has also shared petitions targeting Diane Abbott, Gina MillerWikipedia and Naz Shah.Wikipedia[44]
  • Alex Stevenson (candidate for Amber Valley) was a Tory councillor until being suspended for supporting Andrew Bridgen'sWikipedia antivax nonsense,[65] who has continued to spread pandemic misinformation.[58][59]
  • Garry Sutherland (candidate for Exmouth and Exeter East) is a convicted animal abuser, who has used a homophobic slur in reference to Philip Schofield,Wikipedia said "what [Tommy Robinson] says chimes with me," and affirmed the anti-Semitic conspiracy theories of David Icke saying, "Remember when they used to mock him? We're not laughing now."[39]
  • Andrea Whitehead (candidate for Leeds West and Pudsey) has spread chemtrail conspiracy theories.
  • Adam Wood (candidate for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough) has longstanding links with Matteo Salvini’s Italian rightwing populist party, Lega.[44]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 See the Wikipedia article on Brexit Party.
  2. Claudii Ptolemaei Opera quae exstant omnia, Volume 1 by Claudius Ptolemy (1898) B. G. Teubneri.
  3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55566526
  4. 4.0 4.1 Nigel Farage quits as Reform UK leader in step back from party politics, The Guardian, 7 Mar 2021
  5. Nigel Farage quits Ukip over its anti-Muslim 'fixation'. The Guardian. 4 December 2018.
  6. Nigel Farage quits Ukip: Former leader leaves party over Tommy Robinson links. Independent. 4 December 2018.
  7. MEP Lord Dartmouth quits UKIP saying party is 'widely perceived as both homophobic and anti-Islamic'. Sky News. 26 September 2018.
  8. Third Ukip MEP quits over party's courtship of Tommy Robinson. The Guardian. 27 November 2018.
  9. Paul Nuttall quits UKIP over Tommy Robinson role. BBC News. 7 December 2018.
  10. UKIP: Scottish leader David Coburn quits over 'extremism'. BBC News. 7 December 2018.
  11. Gerard Batten drags Ukip further right with harsh anti-Islam agenda. The Guardian. 21 September 2018.
  12. Search Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group.
  13. The UK’s European elections 2019, BBC News
  14. What are the Brexit Party’s policies?, The Week, 7 Jun 2019
  15. Inheritance tax would be scrapped by the Brexit party – good news for the very rich, Torsten Bell, The Guardian, 16 Sep 2019
  16. No, Nigel Farage, you boosted the far right more than Tommy Robinson ever did. Newstatesman. 23 November 2018.
  17. Nigel Farage accused of xenophobic fear tactics over 'disgusting' Brexit poster. Reading Chronicle. 16 June 2016.
  18. Nigel Farage defends use of the word 'chinky'. Newsweek. 19 December 2014.
  19. Nigel Farage attacked over Romanians 'slur'. BBC News. May 2014.
  20. UKIP's Farage Rallies Germany's Right-wing AfD. The Local. 7 September 2017.
  21. Racists nearly killed Ukip this week, but we live to fight our most important battle. The Telegraph. 30 September 2017.
  22. UKIP loses another MEP as Jonathan Arnott quits party. BBC News. 19 January 2018.
  23. Election 2017: Ex-UKIP donor Arron Banks says party wrong to go to 'war' with Islam. Sky News. 25 April 2017.
  24. UKIP thinks bashing Muslims wins votes – but this could spell its end. The Guardian. 26 April 2017.
  25. Nigel Farage thinks Ukip is too bigoted for him? What a joke. The Guardian. 5 December 2018.
  26. Whatever his motives, Nigel Farage is right on Ukip. Financial Times. 5 December 2018.
  27. Nigel Farage quits UKIP over party's 'extremism' direction. ITV News. 4 December 2018.
  28. The Founder Of Nigel Farage's New Brexit Party Has A History Of Anti-Muslim Comments. BuzzFeed News. 11 February 2019.
  29. “Let them eat spuds”: we should fear the Brexit Party – but not for the reasons you think. NewStatesman. 12 February 2019.
  30. testosterone Farage ally said black men are violent due to high testosterone. The Guardian. 22 January 2019.
  31. A UKIP Candidate Brought a Photo of Her Black Husband to Hustings. Vice. 17 May 2017.
  32. New Scottish Brexit party launches in Scotland...and already has an MSP, The Herald (Glasgow), 11 Jan 2021
  33. Nigel Farage: Brexit-backing politician to quit as leader of Reform UK, BBC, 7 March 2021
  34. See the Wikipedia article on Richard Tice.
  35. Isabel Oakeshott runs squealing from David Cameron #piggate claims, The Guardian, 9 Oct, 2014
  36. Tory MP attended lockdown barbecue with journalists, The Guardian, 5 June 2020
  37. Reform UK tones down culture war rhetoric and targets Tory voters, The Guardian, Oct 1, 2021
  38. https://order-order.com/2021/03/30/exclusive-interview-fox-reveals-london-mayoral-pact-with-tices-reform-uk/
  39. 39.00 39.01 39.02 39.03 39.04 39.05 39.06 39.07 39.08 39.09 39.10 39.11 39.12 Robinson to a Covid conspiracy theorist who likened Boris Johnson to Hitler and even another who's a convicted animal abuser by Glen Owen and Daisy Graham-Brown, Mail on Sunday, March 31, 2024
  40. Reform UK says it published candidates list early so media could help vet it by Aletha Adu, The Guardian, April 8, 2024
  41. RReform leader Richard Tice begs his candidates not to use social media while drunk after the party drops seven of them for 'inappropriate' posts by Kumail Jaffer, Daily Mail, April 8, 2024
  42. 42.0 42.1 42.2 Reform drops two of its election candidates and suspends a third for series of offensive remarks - including obscene 'brown babies' jibe by Glen Owen and Daisy Graham-Brown, Mail on Sunday, April 7, 2024
  43. Reform UK Stevenage's candidate dropped for alleged offensive posts by Christopher Day, The Comet, April 9, 2024
  44. 44.0 44.1 44.2 44.3 Reform UK drops candidate who spread racist and Islamophobic posts Good Law Project, April 27, 2024
  45. Reform UK candidate for Henley fired for 'offensive' posts by Robert Folker, Oxford Mail, February 22, 2024
  46. 46.0 46.1 Both Swindon Reform party candidates now removed by Aled Thomas, Swindon Advertiser, April 5, 2024
  47. The Shocking Far-Right Fantasies of Reform UK candidate Beau Dade by Gregory Davis, Hope Not Hate, March 21, 2024
  48. 48.0 48.1 Reform Parliamentary Candidate Who Shared Racist Content Resigns After Questions by Byline Times by Olly Haynes, Byline Times, March 20, 2024
  49. Reform UK suspends ANOTHER 'muppet' election candidate over social media posts supporting a racist conspiracy theory and accusing gay parents of being paedophiles - as would-be party MP is accused of telling followers it is 'red pill time' by David Wilcock, Daily Mail, May 1, 2024
  50. 50.0 50.1 Reform UK election hopefuls exposed over 'white pride' and Islamophobic rants by Simon Murphy, Mikey Smith and Sam Bright, Mirror, April 13, 2024
  51. 51.0 51.1 Hope Not Hate Reveals Two More Extremist Candidates from Reform UK, in the Latest of a String of Embarrassments for the Party by Gregory Davis, Hope Not Hate, April 3, 2024
  52. 52.0 52.1 Reform UK drops two more election candidates over racist comments PA Media, April 3, 2024
  53. HOPE not hate reveals ANOTHER shameful Reform UK candidate – and lifts the lid on the party’s chaotic selection process by Gregory Davis, Hope Not Hate, April 6, 2024
  54. Reform UK drops general election candidate who liked Tommy Robinson and Nick Griffin tweets by Mikey Smith, Mirror, April 6, 2024
  55. Iris Alexandra LEASK Companies House
  56. Reform UK suspend Aberdeenshire candidate in cannibalism row by Andrew Learmonth, The Herald, April 7, 2024
  57. Yvette Ann MAXWELL-DARKES Companies House
  58. 58.0 58.1 58.2 58.3 58.4 58.5 Reform UK backs candidates who promoted online conspiracy theories by Kevin Rawlinson and Aneesa Ahmed, The Guardian, May 2, 2024
  59. 59.0 59.1 59.2 59.3 59.4 59.5 Covid, chemtrails and climate: the wild ideas spread by Reform UK candidates by Kevin Rawlinson and Aneesa Ahmed, The Guardian, May 2, 2024
  60. Reform UK candidate in Blackpool South by-election touts conspiracy theories in rambling 2018 video by Lizzy Buchan, Mirror, April 30, 2024
  61. Welwyn Hatfield council candidate voluntarily stepped down ahead of election by Matt Adams, Welwyn Hatfield Times, April 30, 2022
  62. The Brexit Party’s Most Senior Election Official Says Tommy Robinson Has Been “Persecuted” And Islamophobia Is “Made Up” by Alex Wickham and Mark Di Stefano, BuzzFeed News, May 13, 2019
  63. Reform UK official in charge of dumping offensive candidates said Tommy Robinson had been 'persecuted' by Mikey Smith and Sam Bright, Mirror, April 13, 2024
  64. Amelia RANDALL Companies House
  65. Conservative councillor Alex Stevenson suspended after defending vaccine Holocaust comments by Eddie Bisknell, Derbyshire Live, January 13, 2023