Reform UK Councillor Resigns Over Racist Remarks
Alan Feeney, a Reform UK councillor, has resigned from his positions on two councils and apologized after being filmed making offensive comments about Asian homeowners.
Reform UK councillor Alan Feeney has resigned from Solihull Council and Birmingham City Council after being filmed making racist remarks, including calling Asian homeowners "parasites" and stating that no more than 1% of the UK population should be non-white. Feeney has also stepped down from the Reform UK party and apologized for his comments, which he described as "wrong, offensive and completely unacceptable."
The comments were captured during an undercover investigation by ITV News in the run-up to May's council elections. Feeney was filmed campaigning in an area he described as "infested" with Asian families.
Feeney, who had defected from the Conservative Party to Reform UK last year, was elected to Birmingham City Council in May. A spokesperson for Reform Solihull stated that Feeney was briefly with the party and did not reflect the views of the group, emphasizing he spent most of his time as a Conservative councillor.
The Ministry of Justice has also suspended Feeney from his job with the prison service, calling the comments "despicable" and stating that an investigation will be conducted.
Reform MP Robert Jenrick told the BBC's Today programme that he did not like the remarks made in the documentary but defended the party's swift action in removing or suspending individuals featured. He suggested that all parties have "bad apples" and that Reform UK does not have a greater problem than other parties.
Feeney posted on Facebook, offering his "sincere and unreserved apologies" and asserting that the comments "do not reflect my true beliefs or opinions." He highlighted his more than a decade of public service as a reflection of his true self, while acknowledging the impact of his statements.