A SECOND Reform UK candidate has stepped down, citing racism and misogyny within the party. Georgie David, who was running for West Ham and Beckton, announced her departure through a statement issued by the Conservative party, which she now supports.
David's resignation follows that of Liam Booth-Isherwood, the Reform UK candidate for Erewash, who also defected to the Tories, citing similar concerns about the party's conduct.
"I am significantly frustrated and dismayed by the failure of the party's leadership to tackle problems with racism and prejudice in its ranks. While I do not believe the party and its senior leadership are racist, the vast majority of candidates are indeed racist, misogynistic, and bigoted. I cannot be associated with people whose views are so vastly opposed to my own," David said in a statement.
Reform UK's chairman, Richard Tice, has said that the Tories have infiltrated their party with fake candidates. "Desperate toxic Tories sent us some Trojan horse candidates by offering jobs, safe council seats, etc., to spread lies," Tice said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In response to David's departure, Reform UK released a statement expressing disappointment. "We are very disappointed by Georgie David's actions. She was a last-minute addition to our list of candidates, replacing a previous candidate for West Ham and Beckton. We strongly disagree with her sweeping comments about the 'vast majority' of our 600-plus candidates, most of whom she has never met."
Reform UK has also faced controversy regarding its candidate for Orkney and Shetland, Robert Smith, after The Times reported that he posted numerous insults about prominent women on social media, including advocating for Nicola Sturgeon to be shot.
Tice condemned Smith's comments as "appalling" but noted, "We're a new political party. We've been growing fast. Like anybody, we make some mistakes. The thing is, we admit them, move on, and learn from them."
Also, Reform UK has had to drop several candidates over the weekend due to racist remarks. For example, one candidate allegedly said that black people should "get off [their] lazy arses" and stop acting "like savages."
Despite the turmoil, Tice remains defiant, denying that the party is encouraging prejudice. He claimed that individuals with racist views gravitate toward Reform UK because they no longer have a political home after the far-right BNP was "destroyed."
Labour leader Keir Starmer addressed the broader issue of right-wing populism, calling it a serious concern in the UK and Europe. He stressed the need to understand why people have lost faith in politics, referencing the 'partygate scandal' as a significant moment of broken trust with the electorate.
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event