Reform UK has reported ITV to the police following an undercover investigation by the broadcaster. Reform’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said the party would also launch a legal challenge against the multiple ITV journalists and the broadcaster’s board of directors.

The expose by ITV revealed racist remarks by members of the party. In a video posted on X, Mr Yusuf said Reform was now reporting individual journalists to the police, as it believes they have breached fraud and election law in the course of making the documentary.

He said: “We have reported multiple ITV journalists and their board of directors to the police, and will be taking legal action against all of them.

“Journalists are supposed to report the news. These ones set out to create it.”

Mr Yusuf claimed that the undercover ITV reporter who became employed as a Reform press officer had “doctored” her passport to gain the job.

He also said two undercover reporters who joined Reform members campaigning in Portsmouth had been reported to the police, as it is illegal to pay someone to canvass for a candidate.

Reform has also reported ITV’s board to the police as the organisation that paid the two reporters, he said, adding that the party would bring “civil proceedings” against them, too.

He said: “We will pursue this through the courts relentlessly. I want to be frank about why we feel so strongly: Many Reform staff members and volunteers were psychologically manipulated and damaged by ITV’s undercover reporters.”

Mr Yusuf later claimed ITV had engaged in “a form of psychological warfare”.

He added: “It was designed to demoralise, to inject paranoia into our volunteers, our activists, and our employees, and to make ordinary people afraid to take part in politics.”

It was unclear which police force, or forces, Reform made the report to.

An ITV spokesperson said: “ITV stands by its journalism. The programme Undercover: A Year In Reform was produced in compliance with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, relevant laws, and its broadcast is in the public interest. All journalists were instructed to operate within this framework and did so under the supervision of the programme’s producers. Should the police get in touch we would fully cooperate.”

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Reports ITV to Police Over Undercover Investigation

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has escalated its confrontation with ITV after reporting the broadcaster and several of its journalists to the police over a controversial undercover investigation that exposed alleged racist and offensive remarks by party councillors and candidates.

The dramatic move has created another major political controversy for Reform UK, with the party accusing ITV journalists of breaking the law while investigating its internal activities. Reform’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf has also threatened legal action against the broadcaster, its board of directors and individual journalists involved in producing the programme.

The dispute follows ITV’s documentary, Undercover: A Year in Reform, which featured secretly recorded conversations involving Reform representatives across England and Wales. Some of the footage contained deeply offensive comments about ethnic minorities, Muslims and women, raising serious questions about the party’s candidate selection procedures and its ability to control its rapidly expanding organisation.

However, rather than accepting the broadcaster’s methods without challenge, Reform has launched a counterattack, alleging that undercover journalists may have committed offences involving fraud and electoral law.

The confrontation has now attracted police attention, placing both the political party and the broadcaster under intense scrutiny.

1. Reform UK Launches a Major Legal Attack on ITV

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The controversy intensified on 21 October 2026, when Zia Yusuf announced that Reform UK had reported several ITV journalists and members of the broadcaster’s board to the police.

Yusuf claimed that the journalists had crossed legal boundaries while conducting their investigation and that the party would pursue civil proceedings against those involved.

He argued that journalists should report events rather than deliberately create situations that could influence political activity.

In a statement published on social media, Yusuf said Reform would pursue the matter through the courts and accused ITV’s undercover operation of psychologically manipulating party employees, volunteers and activists.

He also suggested that the investigation had been designed to create distrust within Reform UK and discourage ordinary people from participating in politics.

One of the central allegations concerns an undercover journalist who reportedly secured employment as a Reform press officer.

Yusuf claimed that the journalist had altered her passport to obtain the position and questioned whether the recruitment process had involved fraudulent conduct.

Reform also raised concerns about two undercover reporters who participated in campaigning activities in Portsmouth.

The party alleged that their involvement could have breached electoral regulations governing payments for canvassing.

However, these remain allegations made by Reform UK. Reporting ITV to the police does not establish that the broadcaster or its journalists have committed any criminal offence.

2. What Did ITV’s Undercover Investigation Reveal?

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ITV’s investigation, titled Undercover: A Year in Reform, examined the behaviour and attitudes of Reform UK councillors, candidates and activists.

The programme involved reporters working undercover during political campaigns and gaining access to conversations that would otherwise have remained private.

The investigation uncovered recordings containing racist, discriminatory and sexually aggressive remarks.

In one particularly disturbing incident, a Reform councillor from Solihull was recorded making offensive comments about Asian communities and Muslims.

Other footage showed Reform representatives making derogatory remarks about Black children and expressing extreme views about immigration and British society.

The investigation also raised concerns about the party’s internal culture.

Some individuals were reportedly recorded discussing the importance of concealing controversial political opinions from voters until after winning elections.

One activist suggested that politicians needed to appear acceptable to a wider audience before revealing their actual intentions.

These revelations created an uncomfortable situation for Nigel Farage, who has repeatedly promised to professionalise Reform UK and improve its candidate vetting procedures.

The party subsequently said that investigations had commenced and that individuals who had behaved inappropriately could face disciplinary action.

The programme therefore raised two important questions: whether Reform had sufficiently effective procedures for selecting candidates and whether the party could maintain proper standards while expanding rapidly across Britain.

3. Police Begin Reviewing Reform’s Allegations

The dispute has moved beyond political exchanges, with two police forces reviewing allegations made by Reform UK.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that it had received reports relating to the production of the ITV programme.

Officers said the allegations were being assessed to determine whether further investigation was necessary.

Hampshire Constabulary also confirmed that it had received an allegation concerning possible electoral offences connected with activities in Portsmouth between March and May 2026.

The force said it was reviewing the material provided to establish the circumstances and determine the appropriate next steps.

Importantly, the police statements do not mean that ITV journalists have been found guilty of wrongdoing.

At this stage, the authorities are assessing the allegations rather than announcing criminal charges.

The distinction is significant because political parties and media organisations can make competing claims about investigative methods, but only a proper legal process can establish whether any laws have been broken.

For Reform UK, the police review represents an opportunity to have its complaints examined independently.

For ITV, it creates an additional challenge as the broadcaster defends its investigative methods and professional standards.