Farage 'ordered to apologise' after Reform UK 'gate-crashes Burnham's community tea party' in Makerfield
The 'spontaneous' visit, which coincided with a non-campaign-related event run by people with special needs, was described by the Labour candidate as 'out of order'.
Nigel Farage has been asked to apologise after the Reform UK leader entered a Makerfield community cafe unannounced with his team and "intimidated" workers.
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According to the founder of the group running the community cafe, Mr Farage arrived in an “intimidating and overwhelming” manner, and allegedly took photographs and videos without permission.
Reform MP Lee Anderson, who was part of Mr Farage’s entourage, said their visit to the venue, run by the Hamlet Wigan CIC, was a spontaneous stop for a “cuppa” and to use the toilet.
Farage was out campaigning in Makerfield at the time alongside his team at the time, when he popped into the cafe, which supports young adult trainees with additional needs.
Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester who is running to be the MP for Makerfield, was in the cafe at the time and is said to have given a “spiky” response to a journalist who was following Mr Farage on his campaign trail.
Reform UK insists the visit was "non-political" and was made in "good faith and without political motivation".
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Mr Burnhan is a longtime supporter of the community group, which was celebrating the success of a dozen trainees who had achieved their gold Duke of Edinburgh award.
He apparently “fumed” when he saw Mr Farage in the cafe, saying: “You don’t go into a place like that unannounced. You’re out of order there,” according to the Daily Mail.
Gemma Crompton, the director of the Hamlet, has since written to Mr Farage saying: “While we have absolutely no issue with individuals from any political background visiting the Hamlet, the unannounced arrival of your campaign team, accompanied by a large entourage, security presence, and media crews, created an atmosphere that many of our trainees, families, staff and customers found intimidating and overwhelming”.
Ms Crompton continued, “We are therefore requesting a formal apology regarding the way today’s visit was handled, alongside assurances that no other organisation supporting vulnerable people within the borough will experience a similar situation in future".
Mr Anderson said he was confused as to why Ms Compton sent the letter, as "she sat with us, talking to us all about the cafe and the challenges it faces".
"She then asked for a selfie with Rob and Nigel and thanked us for the visit. We then left,” the Guardian reports.
According to Ms Crompton, the event was not intended to be political or a platform for campaigning.
“We do not want to be drawn into political campaigning or political division of any kind," she said.
Responding to Ms Crompton’s letter, Reform UK said: “This was a completely ad-hoc and non-political visit, and both appreciated the opportunity to meet with you, learn more about the organisation, and hear about the important work you carry out.”
The party also claimed that staff “took selfies” with Mr Farage and the party’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election, Robert Kenyon, and that several young adults had spoken to Farage and “shook his hand”.
Reform UK denies that further photography or filming had taken place.
The party added: “We must admit that the tone and nature of your letter, unfortunately gives rise to the impression that it is politically influenced, unlike our visit, which was made in good faith and without political motivation”.