Reform councillors resign after ITV investigation reveals racist remarks

Alan Feeney, a councillor for Solihull and Birmingham, has resigned from all his political posts following an undercover investigation by ITV News that revealed him making racist remarks. The investigation, titled "Undercover: A Year In Reform," captured secretly filmed footage of Feeney and other Reform UK candidates during local election campaigns.

Resignations and Apologies

Feeney, who served on Solihull Borough Council and Birmingham City Council and was appointed deputy mayor of Solihull, announced his resignation in a Facebook post. "There is no excuse for my comments. With responsibility comes accountability, and it is for that reason that I have resigned every post I hold on both Solihull borough council and Birmingham city council," he wrote.

The footage showed Feeney referring to Asian homeowners as "parasites" and stating that "no more than 1% of [the] British population can be non-white." In his apology, Feeney stated, "My remarks were wrong, offensive and completely unacceptable. They do not reflect the standards that the public rightly expects from an elected representative, and I take full responsibility for what I said." He added that the comments did not reflect his "true beliefs" and that he would undertake "intensive personal analysis" to understand how such sentiments took root.

Feeney initially left Reform UK for "personal reasons" before resigning his seats as an independent councillor. Two other councillors featured in the investigation, Jamie Campbell and Chris Whelan, have also resigned. Campbell was filmed joking about burying pork products to prevent a mosque from being built in Castle Bromwich.

Party Response and Vetting

Reform UK has suspended members following the broadcast. The party stated it carries out vetting checks on all candidates. Robert Jenrick, Reform UK's Treasury spokesman, defended the party's procedures, stating that "all political parties have bad apples" and that those who used racist language were suspended or asked to resign.

A Reform UK Solihull spokesman condemned the comments by Feeney and Whelan but described Campbell's remark as a "joke in poor taste but with no malicious intent," confirming the party would not take further action against him. The spokesman noted that Feeney had spent the majority of his time as a Conservative councillor before joining Reform.

Political Reactions

The revelations have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. Solihull Conservatives called for all three councillors to resign immediately, stating that Reform UK's response was "not good enough" and that "hatred has no place in our borough."

Ade Adeyemo, leader of Solihull’s Liberal Democrat Group, described the findings as "shocking and sickening," labeling the behavior as "racism, it is Islamophobia, it is misogyny, pure and simple." Liam Byrne, the MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North, said the views were "utterly incompatible with either common decency" and announced steps to report the individuals to the Monitoring Officers at Solihull and Birmingham Councils.

Why it matters

This incident highlights ongoing scrutiny of Reform UK's vetting processes and its efforts to distance itself from extremist elements. The resignations of multiple councillors in key West Midlands wards may trigger by-elections, potentially shifting local political dynamics. The case also underscores the impact of undercover journalism in holding elected officials accountable for private conduct that contradicts public standards of decency.

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Sources

• theguardian.com: Reform councillor resigns after being filmed making racist remarks | Reform UK | The Guardian
• hellorayo.co.uk: West Midlands councillor resigns over racist remarks
• solihullobserver.co.uk: Reform faces criticism after councillors and candidates filmed making racist comments - The Solihull Observer
• inkl.com: Reform suspends members after undercover investigation…

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.