One Bexley Reform candidate said they were ‘fearful of the growth of Islam’ in the UK, while another claimed climate change was a ‘total monetised scam’
Two Reform UK candidates in Bexley have been criticised for “spewing hate online and sharing wild conspiracy theories” with their social media posts.
One stated she was “fearful for the growth of Islam” in the UK on X while the other suggested climate change was a “total monetised scam” on Facebook.
The chair of Reform UK Bexley said he did not condone the Islam posts and stated the climate change posts were not the work of a conspiracy theorist.
Lynn Smith is standing for Reform in Blackfen & Lamorbey and was previously a Bexley councillor representing UKIP from 2014 and 2018. She has shared multiple posts on social media criticising the religion of Islam.
In an X post from February 26, 2024, she tagged GB News and said: “I don’t think we should have the “word” islamaphobia [sic]. Wherever I Iook abroad at Islamic countries as a woman I am fearful for them, & am fearful of the growth of Islam here.”
Another X post from April 25, 2020 states: “Has the NHS beome [sic] the new Islam, critisise [sic] at your own risk?”
The Reform candidate also recently re-tweeted a graphic of a Muslim woman with the text: “Hates Jews, Christian, atheists, gays, dogs, bacon, wine, beer, your civilisation, your culture, your traditions, your country and you. Complains about Islamophobia.”
Ms Smith posted a photo of her in a scarf on Facebook on March 28, 2020 and said: “Thinking of becoming a Muslim just as a reason to hide my pelican neck. Then again I couldn’t give up alcohol. “
Reform UK Bexley chair Eamonn Delaney said he “did not condone” the posts, but clarified that Ms Smith was “an advocate of free speech” and she believed “everything had a right to be criticised”.
He added: “What she’s trying to promote is that we shouldn’t be afraid to criticise things, whether it be the NHS or Islam.
“She’s not picking on anything in particular. Not any religion, not any person, not any organisation. She has said that you’re not allowed to criticise the NHS and she doesn’t believe that’s fair.”
He said the scarf post was just Ms Smith “making fun of herself about her personal appearance” and suggested she was trying to do things in a “light-hearted, jokey manner”.
Pamela Andrews is a Reform candidate in Falconwood & Welling. On her Facebook page, she has shared videos that claim human activities are not the main driver of climate change.
Ms Andrews has called climate change a “total monetised scam” and said the World Economic Forum has “weaponised” the environmental notion to exert “ultimate control”. She also shared videos which suggest the world is being controlled by a secret society.
Mr Delaney said Ms Andrews was “not a conspiracy theorist”. He added: “Everything she comments on, Pamela has researched. She looks at all the data, all sides of the argument and stands firmly with what she’s put in those posts.”
The social media posts of both candidates have been criticised by local Conservatives, with Old Bexley and Sidcup MP Louie French calling their comments “truly shocking”.
Mr French said: “Reform UK promised their candidates would be vetted. Instead, they’ve selected candidates who are spewing hate online and sharing wild conspiracy theories.
“Bexley deserves community-minded councillors with a plan for local services, not more divisive and shouty politics that gets nothing done. I urge Reform UK to do the right thing and disown these candidates now.”
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