Nigel Farage is under pressure to suspend a Reform council candidate following controversial remarks characterized as “offensive” and “discriminatory.”
Mike Manning, the Reform UK candidate for Redcar, came under fire for making derogatory comments about Jewish and Muslim communities, suggesting that circumcision affects their behavior. Manning, a former Royal Artillery serviceman, also made disparaging remarks about a “traditional stuffed chimpanzee” in relation to posts celebrating Kwanzaa, a festival honoring African-American heritage.
Anna Turley, Chair of the Labour Party and MP for Redcar, has called for Manning to be removed as a candidate. Turley criticized Farage for not taking action against his party members for making racist comments and urged him to suspend Manning immediately to disavow his offensive language.
Daisy Cooper, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, also demanded Manning’s expulsion from Reform UK, condemning his insults towards Jewish and Muslim communities. Cooper urged Farage to uphold higher standards in public office and emphasized that such discriminatory views should not be tolerated in British politics.
In a letter to Farage, Cooper denounced Manning’s racist and xenophobic beliefs as unacceptable in politics and questioned the vetting process for candidates representing Reform UK. She urged Farage to act swiftly by suspending Manning from the party to show that racism has no place within their ranks.
Manning is running in the Zetland ward for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, where Labour holds the majority but the council lacks overall control. Following a disciplinary investigation, Reform UK has withdrawn its support for Manning’s candidacy after admitting to poor vetting procedures.
This move comes after Reform UK faced backlash for social media posts deemed bigoted, leading to the expulsion of their council leader in Staffordshire last year. Farage acknowledged the shortcomings in the vetting process and confirmed the withdrawal of support for Manning’s candidacy during a recent press conference.