EXCLUSIVE: Reform UK EXPELS election candidate after Jewish News uncovers fascist BNP ties
David Prior was standing in Gateshead's Saltwell seat, home to Britain’s third-largest Orthodox Jewish community
Reform UK has expelled a local election candidate after he failed to declare his former membership in the extreme far-right British National Party (BNP), just one day after Nigel Farage addressed him and other candidates at a rally.
Jewish News raised concerns about David Robert Prior, the party’s candidate for the Saltwell seat in Gateshead, north-east England, after being alerted to his history with the antisemitic, far-right organisation.
Saltwell and Bensham is home to Britain’s third-largest Orthodox Jewish community, and is recognised as a major European centre for Jewish education.
Prior had actively sought support from the Charedi community in Saltwell, concealing his previous affiliation with the BNP, which was formerly led by the openly antisemitic Nick Griffin.
On Tuesday, Farage spoke to Prior and other activists at the Sunniside Club venue. Following the event, Prior posted on social media: “Who would have thought Nigel Farage would be in the Sunniside Club. What a bloke!”
However, sources contacted Jewish News to warn about Prior’s past as a supporter of the far-right, racist party, expressing concern about how he might treat Jewish voters if elected.
Jewish News was also shown a leaked BNP membership list, posted on Wikileaks in 2010, which included Prior’s name.
Another source described Prior’s BNP membership as an “open secret” in his village, and questioned how Reform UK’s vetting process had failed to uncover his background.
Postal voting forms have been sent out to voters in recent days, and it is understood there had been a big push locally amongst the Charedi community to cast their votes in this way.
Reform are believed to have cast themselves locally as the party best placed to defend the interests of the Orthodox community.
A Reform UK spokesperson confirmed to Jewish News: “Mr Prior has been expelled from Reform UK after failing to declare his former membership of a proscribed organisation. Reform UK has withdrawn our support for his candidacy.”
But one communal figure said:”If people like David Prior are slipping through the net, you worry seriously about Reform UK’s vetting processes.
“How many other secret far-right extremists are standing for Nigel Farage’s party on May 7?”
Last week BNP leader Griffin denied stirring up racial hatred by posting a cartoon on social media.
The 67-year-old, who led the BNP from 1999 to 2014, is facing a private prosecution brought by the Campaign Against Antisemitism.
Griffin, of Welshpool, Powys, is accused of posting on X a cartoon of a giant spider with a Star of David on its head.
It is said the post, on 6 December 2021, was accompanied with a comment.
The post was “abusive or insulting”, it is said, and Griffin is accused of “intending to stir up racial hatred”.
At Southwark Crown Court Griffin entered not guilty pleas to two charges – displaying material likely to stir up racial hatred and publishing or distributing material likely to stir up racial hatred.
Mr Justice Swift adjourned the case and set a trial date of 11 May next year.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
