Nigel Farage gets ‘Loose Women treatment’

Today, Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage joined Loose Women and called offensive comments made by a Reform UK campaigner, as heard in Channel 4 undercover footage, a “set up”.

Speaking to Kaye Adams, Kelly Holmes, Gloria Hunniford and Jane Moore, he said: “Someone told us he was an actor. We rang him this morning, The Daily Telegraph rang him this morning. He denied point blank that he was an actor. It turns out he is an actor. I found his website. He’s a well spoken actor who does something called ‘rough speaking’. 

Confirming he’d met the individual, he added: “I was in the office when he arrived last Saturday and he was doing rough speaking. It was an act, right from the very start. I was working, and he came in and came up to me and said hello, and then he went out canvassing where the undercover filming took place. He was rough speaking. He wasn’t being himself from day one. I have to tell you, this whole thing is a complete, total setup of that, I have no doubt whatsoever.”

Kaye then shared a Channel 4 News statement in response to comments made by Nigel Farage, which read: “We strongly stand by our rigorous and duly impartial journalism which speaks for itself.

“We met Mr Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters, where he was a Reform party canvasser. We did not pay the Reform UK canvasser or anyone else in this report.”

GMB/ITV

Discussing other comments, made by a senior Reform UK member, that were broadcast last night on Channel Four News, Nigel said: “They watched England, they were in the pub, they were drunk. It was crass… People, when they’re drunk, often turn quite nasty, it was unforgivably nasty. No question about that, but the one that’s really hurting us is the one with racial slurs. I promise you, this guy is a set up, I have no doubt about it. Remember the stakes are very high here.” 

Asked who Nigel believed to be behind the ‘setup’, he replied: “Well, I don’t know who. I don’t know whether he was paid or not, but there’s something wrong.” Asked again about the three individuals heard making homophobic comments, Nigel Farage described them as “vulgar, drunk and wrong.”

Jane asked: “Do you want those sort of people in the party?” to which Nigel responded: “No, I don’t. Of course I don’t.” He added: “Nobody has fought harder against the far right in British politics than me. I almost single handedly destroyed the British National Party. I’ve always said I don’t want anyone supporting me who’s got prejudices… They’re gone. Their behaviour, their language, is unacceptable.” 

Nigel also told the panel: “If you want to hurt me, you want to hurt me, really want to hurt me; what you do is set me up with somebody purporting to be on my side that says vile things and this is happening for one reason, and one reason only. We have got an election going on where there is a new party, a new phenomenon, and we want change…” 

Loose Women, weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player