Burnham Says Reform Must Act Over “Politics of Poison”
The prime minister told MPs to “root out the politics of poison which has seeped far too far into our politics” after an ITV News exposé of racism in Reform UK, saying he was “still waiting to see the right level of action” from the party. Separately, the Electoral Commission fined Reform £2,187 over missing imprints on campaign material.
Reform was due to pay £1,750 by 23 September; the fine rose by a quarter when it missed the deadline, and was paid on Tuesday. The breaches covered Reform’s X, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts and a February newspaper advertisement promoting Robert Jenrick. “We take proportionate action based on the facts and circumstances of each case,” said Jackie Killeen of the commission. The sums are small; the cumulative reputational cost for a party leading the polls is not.