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Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has introduced more relaxed review criteria for new candidates, even when she is fighting new controversy after one of his MPs suspended the party in the middle of an investigation by the Covid loan.
On Monday, the party introduced a new series of candidates for “common sense”, which are “more proportional” and that there is a better balance between the reputation of the party and freedom of expression.
In an email sent to party members on Friday and seen by the Financial Times, it says: “We treat this as an empty board. If you have been checked beforehand, you will be emphatically asked to appear again according to the new standards.
A high -ranking party figure confirmed that the nationwide change in the party review system took the lead despite a shower scandal around one of the five reform Members elected last year.
James McMurdock, who was chosen in July, removed the whip on Saturday, hours before the Sunday Times, the allegations that he had borrowed tens of thousands of pounds as part of the government in 2020.
The newspaper asked questions about whether the companies in question had sufficient income to fulfill the criteria for such loans, which helped borrow money from small and medium -sized companies to stay over water.
Farage replied to questions about suspension on Monday and said that at the time McMurdock was selected, he was not a party leader and therefore cannot apologize for the review procedure.
“The review process worked for this year. I can’t apologize for what happened before,” he said.
The new review system marks a departure from the strict standards introduced by the former party chairman Zia Yusuf, which has released dozens of former employees and members as part of a great professionalization that annoyed some of the party’s employees.
Yusuf announced last month before returning to another role 48 hours later. The former doctor and TV presenter David Bull replaced Yusuf as chairman of the party.
Labor said that it was “worrying that Farage apparently tries to further realize the standards of the reform” in view of the recent controversy about the existing elected representatives.
While reform UK promised an increased approach to review before the local elections in May, some of his new council members have been suspended or identified since then.
Reform UK said: “Reform UK Vetting procedure remains possible to the highest degree. We strive to maintain the highest possible standards for potential candidates.
“We have made some minor changes to our old politics and therefore encouraged the members to apply again.”
