British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has slammed an anti-immigration Reform UK party campaigner for using racist slurs against him as the general election campaign entered its final week.
Campaigners were filmed making racist, homophobic and offensive comments in Clacton-on-Sea in eastern England, where the leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, is hoping to be elected as a Member of Parliament next Thursday.
One of the campaigners was heard using racist slur against Rishi Sunak who is British-Indian.
The supporter also described Islam as “the most disgusting cult” and called for Muslims to be kicked “out of mosques” and their places of worship turned into pubs.
Farage in his reaction to the incident called the comments a “complete and total set-up”.
He noted that the supporter in question who was later identified as Andrew Parker may have been paid to act in the video, possibly by opponents threatened by the party’s popularity.
Parker said he was an actor and campaigned for Reform in his personal capacity.
But Sunak said: “My two daughters have to see and hear Reform people who campaign for Nigel Farage calling me an effing Paki.
“It hurts and it makes me angry, and I think he has some questions to answer. And I don’t repeat those words lightly.
“I do so deliberately, because this is too important not to call out clearly for what it is.”
The hard-right Farage who is making an eighth bid to win a seat in parliament has faced a number of controversies since the campaign began.
A number of Reform UK candidates have been ditched or suspended over allegations of offensive and homophobic comments.
According to the anti-racism organisation Hope Not Hate, Reform UK has had to withdraw 166 candidates since the beginning of the year, many of whom have made racist or offensive remarks.
Farage for instance had caused outrage last week by saying that the West had “provoked” Russia into invading Ukraine because of Kyiv’s aim of joining NATO and the European Union.
His comments were largely condemned by UK parties.
Labour leader Keir Starmer, who is tipped to replace Sunak as prime minister, said he was “shocked” by the footage and that Farage faces a “test of leadership”.
However, Farage has already faced criticisms following his comments that Sunak who was educated at a top private school and studied at Oxford University, does not understand the British culture.
Meanwhile, a new poll published by the Labour has put Sunak’s Conservatives on 18 percent, with Reform on 21 percent, both well behind Labour on 38 percent.
Analysts say, support for Reform could split the right-wing vote.
In another report, Parker is heard calling for new army recruits to carry out “target practice” by shooting undocumented migrants trying to cross the Channel from France in small boats.
Similarly, George Jones, a Reform UK events organiser, was filmed making homophobic remarks including describing the LGBTQ flag as “degenerate”.
Police said they were “urgently assessing” the comments to “establish if there are any criminal offences”.
Parker called the comments “typical chaps-down-the-pub talk”. “I’m not racist, I’ve had Muslim girlfriends.”