How has Reform UK responded to accusations of racism and have they changed any policies or messaging since 2022?
Executive summary
Reform UK has repeatedly responded to racism allegations by distancing the leadership, dropping or saying it will drop individual campaigners and candidates accused of offensive remarks, and insisting incidents are isolated rather than systemic — while also pushing back against media accounts and framing criticism as political bias [1] [2]. Independent checks and campaign groups say the party’s vetting and “professionalisation” claims have been undermined by fresh examples of offensive posts and by the party standing by some candidates, leaving questions about whether Reform has made substantive policy or cultural changes since 2022 [3] [4].
1. Public damage control: denounce, drop, but sometimes stand by members
When undercover reporting exposed campaigners making racist and homophobic comments, Reform UK announced those individuals would “no longer be part” of Nigel Farage’s campaign and the party withdrew support from at least three parliamentary candidates — though the candidates stayed on ballots because registration deadlines had passed [1] [2]. At the same time, the party has on occasions defended or allowed candidates to remain under its banner, drawing criticism that responses are uneven and reactive rather than part of a consistent disciplinary framework [3] [4].
2. Message framing: attack the media and call criticism political
Farage and senior party figures have repeatedly accused broadcasters and opponents of bias, with Farage refusing some media appearances and accusing outlets of political acting to deflect from other issues — a line that reframes accusations as partisan attacks rather than organizational failures [2]. This defensive posture functions as both a reputation management tactic and a rallying cry to supporters, shifting public debate away from internal vetting toward media accountability.
3. Claims of “professionalisation” vs. watchdog and campaign-group findings
Reform UK has portrayed post-2022 recruiting as professionalisation, asserting it is tightening candidate standards ahead of elections [3]. That claim is contested by watchdogs and organisations such as Hope Not Hate, which documented problematic social media posts from current candidates and said those findings undermine Reform’s vetting claims; the BBC independently corroborated multiple offensive posts [3]. Critics therefore argue changes have been more rhetorical than structural.
4. Scale of the problem: repeated purges but recurring revelations
Campaign reporting and investigative outlets indicate Reform has been forced to ditch many candidates across successive contests — with at least 11 parliamentary candidates dropped during one six-week campaign and more removed after undercover footage aired — suggesting a recurring selection problem rather than a one-off lapse [4] [2]. The recurrence of fresh revelations after publicised “clean-ups” implies that internal controls either remain insufficient or are inconsistently applied [4].
5. Policy changes: absence of clear, documented reform in party rules
Available reporting shows public actions (candidate withdrawals, statements) and claims of tighter standards, but does not document a formal, published overhaul of candidate selection rules or a transparent disciplinary code implemented since 2022; independent sources instead point to ongoing failures in vetting and oversight [3] [4]. Therefore, while messaging has sometimes shifted toward damage limitation and professionalisation rhetoric, there is no clear public record in these sources of binding party-policy changes that would comprehensively prevent repeat incidents.
6. Alternative interpretations and implicit agendas
Supporters argue that swift removals demonstrate zero tolerance and that media focus exaggerates isolated lapses; opponents and anti-racism groups see a pattern of scapegoating and structural tolerance of xenophobic positions that fit Reform’s political agenda of restricting immigration [2] [5]. Media outlets and campaign groups carrying out exposés may have their own priorities — from policing elite behaviour to campaigning against the party’s growth — so both the party’s defensive posture and the intensity of scrutiny reflect competing agendas in the UK political ecosystem [4] [5].
Conclusion: partial corrective action, limited evidence of systemic change
Reform UK’s response has been a mix of expulsions, denials, rhetorical reframing and claims of professionalisation; investigative and watchdog reporting suggests these steps have reduced some immediate reputational risk but have not, in the documented record here, produced clear, verifiable institutional reforms to selection, vetting or disciplinary processes since 2022 [1] [3] [4]. The balance of evidence indicates reactive personnel moves and publicity management rather than the kind of transparent policy overhaul that would convince independent monitors the party has rooted out racist or bigoted elements systemically.