Reform UK has chosen to support candidates who have promoted conspiracy theories online, called the climate emergency a “hoax” and expressed vaccine skepticism.
These fringe opinions and others were raised by a group of seven candidates selected to run from right-wing populist parties in the next general election, including some analysis. This includes candidates who plan to vie for seats that are considered top targets.
Indicating what kind of beliefs the Reformers intend to give a platform to, he said on Thursday he was “proud” to field them as Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPCs).
Among the views the party publicly supports is Chris Farmer’s claim that the climate emergency was fabricated as a cover for a plan to put dictators in power. Gloucester’s PPC also said a group of mayors representing major cities around the world were trying to use the climate emergency to justify banning private car travel.
Reformers also support Trevor Lloyd-Jones, who promotes content online related to the 15 Minute City conspiracy theory.
Lloyd Jones, the party’s candidate for Aldershot, has been identified as one of Reform’s biggest targets after spreading anti-vaccine content on Facebook and falsely posting that former Health Secretary Matt Hancock had been “murdered”. [pensioners] They used midazolam and called it Covid. ”
The party also backed Lynne Murphy, a candidate in Easington, another key seat, who referred to the “fake climate crisis” and said: “I think the world is going to end because of climate change. If so, you are being misled.”
In recent months, the Reform Party has been forced to expel a number of members from its caucus for expressing offensive views, raising serious questions about the vetting process for a party that ranks third in some opinion polls. . Earlier this month, party leader Richard Tice claimed that the media had published a list of candidates on the party’s behalf.
But reformers appear to have changed their approach only recently, telling the Mirror a few days later that they supported a candidate accused of posting racist messages online. He characterized the post as simply asking “questions about the left-wing establishment.”
Reformers also considered acceptable behavior because the RNLI, which is often called upon to rescue people attempting the dangerous Channel crossing to reach the UK, “works as a taxi service for illegal immigrants”. ” argued Hamish Haddow.
Mr Haddow, the party’s MP for Chipping Burnett, has withdrawn from standing as a Conservative candidate in the 2022 local elections after saying he would support Vladimir Putin. He later claimed that the reference to President Putin was a joke. This did not prevent him from choosing reform.
The party also supports Andrea Whitehead, who posted online about the chemtrail conspiracy theory, saying that vapor trails left in the wake of aircraft mean evil forces are spraying dangerous chemicals on the population. It claims to be proof.
This week, reformers also found acceptable the promotion of anti-vaccine content by Alex Stevenson online. Additionally, a leading candidate for a key Amber Valley seat promotes some of the conspiracy theories promoted by former Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen, who lost his whip in January after comparing the use of coronavirus vaccines to the Holocaust. did.
Reformers have announced their support for party member Noel Matthews. Mr Matthews is also a party official who is often tasked with removing fellow party members whose views are deemed too harmful.
Mr Matthews, who ran unsuccessfully in 2019, defended convicted fraudster and far-right provocateur Tommy Robinson online and reportedly said Islamophobia was a “hoax”. Knowing this, he was re-elected in the next general election.
Far from distancing reformers from views such as those proposed by the seven People’s Committees, a party spokesperson suggested that some were aligned with the party’s official policy.
A spokesperson claimed that the newly discovered posts were just “a series of people posting primarily comedic memes and questions about issues that affect many people in this country.” The spokesperson added: “While some of their views may seem outlandish, none of them are malicious.”
The spokesperson said the party supports opposition to “net zero and the climate change agenda” and believes the coronavirus lockdown is “damaging the country, the economy and the welfare of its people”. admitted.
Whitehead said he sees the exposure of his posts about chemtrails as an opportunity for “free publicity.”
Ms Matthews insisted she had never said Islamophobia was a hoax, adding: “I do not deny that there is unwarranted hatred towards Muslims in society and I abhor it.” He said he was quoting someone else when he tweeted the words “Islamophobia is a stupid coined word.” He also added that his own denial was “Islamophobia or islamophobia? I missed it when that word was coined.”
Lloyd-Jones declined to comment. Neither Stevenson, Murphy, Farmer nor Haddow responded to requests for comment.
