The Reform UK parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough has been included in a list of ‘unsavoury rogues’ selected by the party.
Richard Brown was one of eight candidates named in a Mail on Sunday investigation.
The article said the right wing party “has surged in the polls but the party harbours some unsavoury rogues – from a candidate who supports Tommy Robinson to a covid conspiracy theorist who likened Boris Johnson to Hitler and even another who’s a convicted animal abuser”.
Referring specifically to Mr Brown, it said he “made misogynistic remarks about Labour MP Jess Phillips, calling her a ‘bitch’ in 2022”, adding:
“Last year, Brown also shared the false claim that doctors refused to treat Boris Johnson on the basis that he didn’t have covid, and claimed the pandemic was an ‘illusion’ that had been ‘planned’ by the government ‘since 2016’.”
Reform UK polled 16% — just 4% behind the Conservatives — in a YouGov survey last week.
The party announced former chartered accountant Mr Brown as its parliamentary candidate in August last year.
He describes himself as a “passionate believer in the United Kingdom as an independent agent on the world stage, self reliance, small state, lower taxes for corporations and individuals, control of immigration and cancelling net zero” on Reform UK’s website.
The Stray Ferret has contacted Mr Brown for a response to the article but not yet had a response.
A Reform spokesman told the Mail on Sunday the article was “pathetic nit-picking”, adding:
“Reform UK’s candidates are real people living real lives. Like all parties, Reform UK has had a small number of candidates who have said or written something unacceptable.
“We are proud that, when made aware of unacceptable behaviour, we act, and if necessary immediately remove candidates that have gone beyond the pale. Again, this is not something you will often see from our political opponents.
“Richard Brown was rude about a politician. He also shared claims that at the time were reported as fact.”
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