ANTI-RACIST campaigners plan to target the Clacton parliamentary constituency tomorrow with “milkshake and dinghy” protests against Reform leader Nigel Farage.
Mr Farage hopes to win the seat for his Reform UK party in Thursday’s general election.
The action by Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) comes two days after a Channel 4 News reporter infiltrated Reform and filmed and recorded its canvassers making foul-mouthed and racist comments which included proposing that trainee army recruits use refugees arriving at Dover as target practice.
SUTR is planning a range of stunts in Clacton including carrying a life-size cardboard cut-out of Farage around the constituency to be pelted with milkshakes — a fate suffered by Mr Farage in person on several occasions, including recently in Clacton.
Channel 4 News broadcast its exposé of the rampant racism within Farage’s party on Thursday night.
In addition to the “target practice” comment the report showed a canvasser describing the Pride flag as “degenerate” and suggesting members of the LGBT community are paedophiles.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he was “shocked” by the footage, describing it as “clearly racist” and said: “I think this is a test of leadership.”
But Labour has been reported as telling its own candidate in Clacton, Jovan Owusu-Nepaul, not to campaign there and instead to work for Labour in another constituency.
SUTR said it was “appalled” but also felt vindicated by the revelations, which confirmed its own warnings about the true nature of Reform and its supporters.
SUTR campaign lead in Clacton Samira Ali said Mr Farage “offers nothing different than right-wing populism and empty promises.
“The only thing Farage delivers is a dose of racism in blaming traumatised refugees — who have made the most incredible and perilous journeys in search of safety — for problems caused by politicians ruling Britain and those they represent who have got richer during a cost-of-living crisis for the majority,” she said.
SUTR co-convener Weyman Bennett said: “Farage claims he is not racist and that to talk about immigration is not racist.
“However, Farage doesn’t just talk about immigration, he blames it. Just like his right-wing counterparts in Europe, he wants to make everything about immigration.”
