CRIES of “racist” rang throughout Reform leader Nigel Farage’s election press conference today.
Ten activists from Stand Up to Racism staged the protest, which came as the far-right party won 4 million votes — 15 per cent of the overall share.
Mr Farage will enter Parliament after winning Clacton, and will be joined by four others from his party representing Ashfield, Boston and Skegness, Great Yarmouth, and South Basildon and East Thurrock.
Stand up to Racism co-convener Sabby Dhalu said the results were the “products of Tory racism towards migrant workers, asylum-seekers and Muslim communities.”
Reports surfaced that Labour’s Jovan Owusu-Nepaul, who was challenging Mr Farage in Clacton, was instructed to leave the constituency by Labour HQ, in what could have been a strategic move to split the Tories.
He was quoted in the media saying he was “standing for every black and brown person in the country.”
Tracy Lewis, who campaigned alongside him, told The Voice that Labour “literally told him we’re not having this. You’ve had more retweets than Keir Starmer.”
Ms Dhalu said: “Labour shutting down its campaign in Clacton because the black Labour candidate made anti-racist statements was criminal.
“Fighting racism remains crucial, particularly in light of Keir Starmer indicating he would be willing to work with the National Rally in France on stopping Channel crossings.”
She added that Mr Farage’s win was “totally avoidable” and told Labour not to compete with Farage on anti-migrant sentiment and to implement safe passages.
Fizza Qureshi, CEO of the Migrants’ Rights Network, hopes that the new government will have a “reset on migration” and for an end to the rhetoric around migration so that far-right organisations and parties “aren’t further emboldened.”
With pushbacks at other European borders, she said: “I’m concerned that we’re going to see possibly more tragedies and deaths in the Channel and the only way to remove that risk is to give these people safe routes.
“We hope the new government will be thinking about that rather than how to enact more violence at those borders.”
