Farage rejects 'uniquely awful' claim about Reform UK at Plymouth rally
Nigel Farage has told a Plymouth rally that Reform UK is not uniquely awful, as questions continue over racist and sexist comments exposed by an ITV documentary.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Nigel Farage used his first public event since an ITV documentary about Reform UK to tell supporters that the party is not uniquely bad. Speaking at Plymouth Arena in Devon, he urged the crowd not to accept what he called a media narrative that there was something especially wrong with people in Reform.
Anti-racist protesters gathered outside Plymouth Arena as supporters arrived. Inside, the event had the feel of an expensive election rally. Farage was keen to talk about what he would do with his first 100 days in power, but the documentary and its fallout kept coming up.
The undercover filming showed Reform councillors and candidates expressing violent, racist and sexist views. It included a contributor saying: "I'd be saying no more than 1% of British population can be non-white." Alan Feeney has since resigned and apologised, while others have not.
Farage said: "Some of the comments are appalling, but there is a snobbery about this. There's a real snobbery about this." He added: "You speak to working class people about what they think about, for example, the rape gangs from Rochdale or Rotherham. You'd be very surprised by what they said."
Some supporters defended the party. One said people with "honest opinions, which are fair, in their own community" should not be punished. Asked whether that applied even to racist or sexist comments, the supporter replied: "Well, it depends on what you call racist or sexist." Another said the coverage had not made them question their support and described what they saw as a media campaign against Reform.
Reform insists there is no room for racism in the party and says it has prioritised and improved its vetting procedures. But the coverage noted that continuing controversies since the May elections have damaged the party's position in the polls. Farage needs more than loyal party stalwarts to get close to power, and the questions over the documentary are still following him.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| Alan Feeney resigned and apologised following the ITV documentary, but others did not. | Reported by ITV |
| An ITV documentary included a contributor stating that no more than 1% of the British population can be non-white. | Reported by ITV |
| An ITV documentary used undercover filming that captured Reform councillors and candidates expressing violent, racist and sexist views. | |
| Continuing controversies since the May elections have damaged Reform UK's position in the polls. | |
| Nigel Farage held Reform UK's first public event since an undercover documentary aired, telling supporters to reject the media narrative that the party is uniquely awful. | |
| Reform UK said it has no room for racism and has improved its vetting procedures. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV Evening News led on Farage's first public event since its own documentary, framing it as a damage limitation rally with protesters outside and loyal supporters inside. It stressed the expensive staging and the continuing questions, while giving space to supporters who defended the party against racism and sexism claims. It did not name Alan Feeney or include the explicit 1% non-white quote heard later in the day.
- “Do not buy in to the media narrative that somehow there's something uniquely awful about people in Reform. It just isn't true.”
- “Some of the comments are appalling, but there is a snobbery about this. There's a real snobbery about this.”
- “Reform insists there's no room for racism in the party and that it has prioritised and improved its vetting procedures.”
ITV News at Ten carried a slightly expanded version of the same report, leading with Farage's rejection of the racism and misogyny claims. It added the explicit undercover quote about the non-white population and named Alan Feeney as having resigned and apologised while others had not. It kept the focus on the rally's expensive staging, loyal supporters and the damage to Reform's poll standing.
- “Do not buy in to the media narrative that somehow there's something uniquely awful about people in reform, it just isn't true.”
- “I'd be saying no more than 1% of British population can be non-white.”
- “Alan Feeney here has since resigned and apologised, others have not.”
Who was on air
People and organisations each channel put on air while covering this story. Channels' own presenters and reporters are not listed. Names as transcribed, and the list can miss people.
- 18:48 BST
Nigel Farage, party's leader
ITV Evening News · Tue 20 Oct
Broadcast Timeline
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