Reform UK has been forced to expel three local election candidates. This time, it’s done so after investigators revealed that the three men were once part of the British National Party:
EXCLUSIVE: A joint investigation by HOPE not hate and @DailyMirror has found that three Reform UK candidates were once affiliated with the fascist British National Party (BNP).https://t.co/8DiI7ktpHx
— HOPE not hate (@hopenothate) April 25, 2026
It’s good to see that the party has taken action — or that it’s done so in this case, at least. Because as we’ve reported, there are plenty of candidates with BNP-identical views that Reform has not expelled.
Reform and the BNP
Hope not Hate and the Mirror are responsible for this latest exposé. As Hope not Hate reported:
While now a shadow of its former self, the BNP was once Britain’s largest and most successful far-right party. Formed in 1982, the party was most successful under the leadership of Nick Griffin, but went into sharp decline following the 2010 general election. While it limps on, it is standing no candidates at the forthcoming elections.
The BNP’s membership peaked at 14,500 and since its collapse, activists and members have gravitated towards a range of radical and far right parties. Unsurprisingly, some have washed up in Reform UK, including as candidates.
The men Hope not Hate exposed are David Prior, George Parnell, and John Black:
George Martin Parnell is standing in Hampshire (Fleet Town) and Hart (Fleet Central).
Tells voters he “manages risk in critical environments.”
One of his now-dissolved companies was registered at the same address listed next to his name on the leaked BNP list. pic.twitter.com/Rh5SYLm6mU
— HOPE not hate (@hopenothate) April 25, 2026
John Black is running in Little Harwood & Whitebirk (Blackburn with Darwen) and also appears on the leaked BNP list.
In an election statement posted by the local Reform branch Black wrote that Great Britain is “on the verge of collapse.” pic.twitter.com/UUL8zBtwJP
— HOPE not hate (@hopenothate) April 25, 2026
Hope not Hate added:
Farage says ex-BNP activists “aren’t welcome” presumably because the BNP is seen as toxic and racist.
Farage has long walked a tightrope between far-right views and centre-right electability. This is now causing problems for him, because many of the far-right individuals who were drawn to Reform are abandoning the party for Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain.
It’s also causing problems for the ethnic minority Reform candidates who take Farage at his word when he says he’s not a racist:
NEW: Nigel Farage says X is now becoming “a very unpleasant place” due to a rise racist accounts and content
Reform leader says that many of his ethnic minority candidates are experiencing huge levels of abuse
— Noa Hoffman (@hoffman_noa) April 20, 2026
Farage himself will tell you he doesn’t want BNP types in his party, but as we’ve reported, he’s clearly comfortable with far-right candidates as long as they can tow the line:
- Another Reform candidate praises Oswald Moseley — A rite of party initiation?
- Reform have put a suspended racist in charge of campaign finances.
- Reform candidate wants to ‘tear down’ the NHS.
- Reform welcomes ‘shoot the p*kis’ scandal ex-Tory.
- Reform UK accused of ‘nil vetting’ as another racist candidate exposed.
- Video emerges of Reform’s ‘Nazi salute’ candidate drink driving.
BNP membership is seen as a red line for Farage, but we’re not confident that will always be the case. There is no real difference between an ex-BNP member and an ex-Tory who called for minority groups to be shot — no difference beyond the optics Farage currently considers important, anyway.
Should Reform become the party of government, we’ve no doubt PM Farage will stop pretending to care about many of these things.
The British far right
Britain First leader Paul Golding is another ex-BNP guy. As we recently reported, Golding wants the UK to descend into chaos for the benefit of his political platform:
Far right extremist Paul Golding exposed in a secret recording:
“I want this country to become a shithole. I want this country to descend into a fucking nightmare”
They don’t care about the country. They thrive off discord. pic.twitter.com/N0Sb9yvq33
— smile2jannah (@smile2jannah) April 12, 2026
Tommy Robinson is also an ex-BNP member. As we’ve reported, Reform candidate James Bembridge defended Robinson:
Heres a video of Reform UK’s candidate in Soho, Westminster, James Bembridge (@TheBembridge) glibly defending Tommy Robinson against racism allegations.
He was a member of the BNP and EDL, and in the video Bembridge states he’s looked everywhere and not found any racism by him… pic.twitter.com/qE4Q59CMB1
— Reform Party UK Exposed
Make no mistake — despite their public disagreements, these people are all part of the same movement. And if you vote Reform UK, you might as well be voting for the BNP.
This is why the ex-BNP guys were drawn to it in the first place.
Featured image via Gage Skidmore (Flickr)
By Willem Moore
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