Nigel Farage has concluded a contentious weekend on the campaign trail by launching a scathing attack on two national broadcasters, the BBC and Channel 4. The Reform UK leader, who is also a close ally of Donald Trump, has vowed that his party will “campaign vigorously to abolish” the license fee.
Farage announced his decision to boycott the BBC, citing audience bias during the Question Time leaders’ special that aired on Friday night. He also accused Channel 4 of hiring an actor to use highly offensive language in a Channel 4 News investigation on Reform campaigners. The party has reported Channel 4 to the UK’s electoral commission over the incident.
In a post on X, Farage revealed that he had been invited to appear on the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg Show but declined due to what he described as a “dishonest Question Time audience.” He accused the state broadcaster of acting like a political entity throughout the election and reiterated his party’s commitment to abolishing the license fee.
Farage, who recently took over as leader of Reform UK and stepped down from his presenting role at GB News, was particularly incensed by the audience’s critical and biased nature. During the show, one audience member called him a racist, while another questioned why his party attracted extremists. Farage has stated that he will not appear on the BBC again until the broadcaster issues an apology. However, a BBC spokesperson refuted his claims, stating that the Question Time audience was composed of a balanced representation from various political parties, including Reform UK and the Green Party.
The BBC has faced long-standing criticism over the composition of its Question Time audiences. During a previous election debate in early June, the broadcaster received 264 complaints from viewers who felt the audience had a left-leaning bias.
Farage’s issues with the BBC were compounded by his fallout with Channel 4. Over the weekend, Farage had to disown several Reform candidates and campaigners for making offensive remarks. He remains adamant that Channel 4 paid a Reform campaigner, who is also an actor, to use offensive language during a Channel 4 News investigation. The campaigner, Andrew Parker, was filmed using a racial slur to describe Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, referring to Islam as a “cult,” and suggesting that army recruits should shoot asylum seekers. Essex Police are “urgently assessing” the comments to determine if any criminal offenses were committed.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has criticized Parker’s remarks, but Farage and Reform UK have accused Channel 4 of “scandalous election interference” and reported the broadcaster to the elections watchdog. Channel 4 has denied the allegations, stating that they stand by their rigorous and impartial journalism. A Channel 4 spokeswoman clarified that they met Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters and did not pay him or anyone else in the report. Parker was filmed covertly as part of an undercover operation.
Farage’s attack on the broadcasters comes amid an increasingly acrimonious election campaign, marked by a gambling scandal and a heated debate between Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer on the BBC. British voters are set to head to the polls this Thursday, with Labour remaining the overwhelming favorite to win.
Reform UK has faced persistent questions over its selection of candidates, following numerous examples of offensive social media posts. The party has dropped three candidates—Edward Oakenfull, Robert Lomas, and Leslie Lilley—after reports of offensive or racist comments. However, these candidates will still appear on the ballot paper as it is too late to remove them. A Reform spokesman stated that if any of the three were elected, they would sit as independent MPs. He encouraged voters to support the party by voting for these candidates to register support for Reform’s policy platform.
Farage disowned the candidates during his appearance on BBC Question Time, stating, “I want nothing to do with them.” He attributed the situation to the need to find candidates quickly following the surprise announcement of a general election in July. Farage also faced angry questions from the Question Time audience about a recording broadcast by Channel 4, which showed Andrew Parker using a racial slur about Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Sunak expressed his anger over the remarks, particularly as his daughters had to hear them.
Farage has claimed that Channel 4’s undercover filming was a “total set-up,” with Parker being a hired actor. He initially condemned the remarks as “appalling” and stated that anyone making “reprehensible” comments would no longer be part of the campaign. However, he later suggested that Parker’s behavior did not “ring true” and accused Channel 4 of orchestrating a political setup.
Channel 4 News has stood by its journalism, stating that they met Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters and did not pay him or anyone else in the report. Parker, who confirmed that he is an actor, stated that he volunteered for Reform UK because he believes in its message. He apologized for any harm his personal views may have caused to Farage and the Reform Party.
Essex Police are “urgently assessing” the comments made by Reform campaigners in Channel 4’s footage to determine if any criminal offenses were committed. In a later statement, Hertfordshire Police confirmed that a man in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of causing a public order offense but was released with no further action.
Farage’s leadership of Reform UK has been criticized by both Labour and the Conservatives. Security Minister Tom Tugendhat pointed to a “pattern of racist and misogynistic views” within Reform UK, while Labour leader Keir Starmer praised Sunak’s public criticism of Farage and shared his disgust.
As the election campaign continues, Farage remains a polarizing figure, with his party facing significant scrutiny over its candidates and campaign tactics. Despite the controversies, Farage is determined to push forward with his campaign, focusing on issues such as immigration and aiming to establish Reform UK as a significant political force.
Source: The Associated Press, BBC, Channel 4 News
