Pressure is intensifying on Nigel Farage to address allegations of racism within his Reform UK party, after a senior figure refused to condemn a candidate who said Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy should "go home" to the Caribbean.
Confrontation Over 'Go Home' Remark
The political storm erupted over comments made by Chris Parry, Reform's mayoral candidate for Hampshire and the Solent. In a social media post from February, which resurfaced recently, Parry shared a story about slavery reparations and wrote: "Lammy must go home to the Caribbean where loyalty lies." David Lammy was born in London.
At a press conference, Reform MP Danny Kruger, a key lieutenant for Farage, was confronted about the remarks. Kruger, who defected from the Conservatives in September, declined to condemn them directly, claiming he did not know the "context" of Parry's statement.
"I'm afraid to say without knowing the context of them, without having understood the point that's being said, I can't comment in detail," Kruger stated. He added that the matter was "one for Nigel and the party leadership to decide," while praising Parry as a "distinguished public servant."
Lammy and Labour Condemn '1950s-Style Hate'
In response, David Lammy issued a direct challenge to the Reform leader. "I will never be cowed by racism," Lammy wrote. "But I will call it what it is. Nigel Farage, you need to clean up your party and stamp out this 1950s-style hate."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer raised the issue at Prime Minister's Questions last week, accusing Farage of sowing "chaos and division." Labour chair Anna Turley was scathing in her criticism of Reform's inaction, stating: "No matter what Reform’s senior leadership say, telling a black British man from London to 'go home to the Caribbean' is racist, and no 'context' can excuse it."
Turley accused Reform of wanting to "drag our politics to a dark place" and said the failure to act demonstrated why the party is "not fit for high office."
Mounting Pressure and Previous Incidents
This incident is not isolated for Reform UK. The controversy follows the recent resignation of the party's council leader in Staffordshire, Ian Cooper, who stepped down after being accused of making racist remarks on social media. Cooper's party membership was subsequently revoked.
When pressed on the broader issue, Danny Kruger insisted Reform "completely condemn any expression of racism," and pointed to past actions taken against members. However, the refusal to specifically address Parry's comments has fuelled accusations of tolerance for racist rhetoric within the party's ranks.
With a key electoral lieutenant unwilling to disavow the remarks and senior Labour figures applying sustained pressure, Nigel Farage faces a critical test of his leadership. The demand from the Deputy Prime Minister is clear: concrete action is required to address what he describes as deeply outdated and hateful sentiment.
