Reform UK List of candidates published early so the media could help vet them, says Tice

Reform UK published its candidates list early so that the media and other organisations could help vet it, the party's leader, Richard Tice, has said.

- Aletha Adu

The party has said it will put forward 600 candidates, one against every Conservative, in the next general election but has been forced to drop 10 who were reported to have made or liked racist, sexist and homophobic comments on social media.

Tice, when asked if he was confident Reform had robust processes in place to screen would-be MPs, said the process was "like an MOT".

"It's valid the day you do it, but if, the following Friday night, someone has a glass or two too much and puts something out on social media they permanently regret, in a sense it never stops," he said.

Speaking at a press conference in Westminster, Tice said Reform was a "fast-growing party, but we haven't got the resources the Labour party and the Tory party have. It's a whole different ballgame."

He said the party was increasing its scrutiny of candidates and looking at new technology but already made "the fastest decisions when someone does or says or writes something completely inappropriate".