A 76-year-old man has appeared before magistrates wearing a burka and clutching a black handbag to contest a charge of donning the Islamic garment to disguise his identity during a demonstration.

Timothy Miller, of Sherwood Avenue, Hedge End, Southampton, Hampshire, attended Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court following his arrest in connection with the anti-migrant protest in Portsmouth on 12th September.

Upon entering the dock, District Judge Stephen Apted addressed the defendant: “Can you remove your face covering so we can identify you, please?”

Miller subsequently lifted the veil of the burka while holding a black handbag as he confirmed his name, date of birth and address.

When asked how he responded to the charge of using the burka to conceal his identity within a designated area under section 158 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026, Miller declared: “As I am in every police camera, I am not guilty.”

Miller was then pressed on what his legal defence to the charge was, to which he replied: “The issue quite simply is we should be all living under one law of which I think everybody is under agreement.”

He claimed he held an “exemption” for “Islamic” religious observance, adding “which I am entitled to, therefore it was an exemption for which I told the police”.

When asked to confirm that the religion in question was “Islam”, Miller stated: “I do not feel I should answer this question because nobody is asked this question when they come into the country.”

Mr Apted proceeded to ask Miller to clarify that he observed Islam as a religion, to which the defendant responded: “As such as I am studying Islam as it seems to be the most beneficial religion to be noticed in this climate today.”

He stated that he continued wearing the burka to gain a “greater understanding” from “this side of the veil” and noted: “It’s part of my inquiring mind of changing from one religion to another”.

Miller informed the court that he had resided in Morocco and journeyed to Bahrain and Dubai, stating: “What I say is happening here is the movement generally by law and everything that we are moving towards an Islamic society, therefore it is more beneficial to me to have a full understanding and belief, that’s what I am doing.

“I think we are going down a very dangerous path questioning people about their religion, I think at the moment Jews are under the same pressure.”

Miller claimed that he felt his arrest was not lawful “because I complied with everything, I was in every single camera including the drones overhead, I presented myself to the cameras.

“I was never once asked to remove my face covering.”

Mr Apted postponed the proceedings for a trial to take place at the same court on February 16.

Miller advised the court that he was unrepresented at this hearing but was crowdfunding to pay for legal representatives. Mr Apted said that Miller’s defence representatives must produce a report confirming the defendant’s case that “a male person who is considering moving to Islam can wear a burka in public in order to better understand the religion and enable that person to make an informed decision about observing that religion”.

Miller was subsequently released on unconditional bail ahead of the trial.

Reform UK Plunged into New Scandal as Undercover ITV Probe Exposes Violent, Racist Threats

Reform UK is facing renewed scrutiny after an undercover ITV investigation recorded party councillors, candidates and activists making racist, Islamophobic, sexist and violent remarks. The revelations have raised fresh questions about the party’s candidate-selection procedures, its internal culture and Nigel Farage’s promises to remove extremists from its ranks.

The investigation, published by ITV News on 14 October 2026, followed Reform figures during local election campaigning and by-election contests across England and Wales. Some of the recorded comments targeted Asian communities and Muslims, while others included disturbing remarks about women and threats of violence. Several individuals featured in the footage have since left the party, with some also resigning their council positions. <Cite refs={[“turn313710news18″,”turn313710news9”]}/>

The controversy comes at a sensitive time for Reform UK, which has built much of its political appeal around immigration control, dissatisfaction with the established parties and promises to change the way Britain is governed. The investigation has put the spotlight on whether the party’s internal checks are strong enough to ensure that its representatives meet the standards it publicly claims to uphold.

What did the ITV investigation uncover?

ITV’s investigation was conducted over approximately a year. Undercover reporters gathered footage during election campaigns and gained access to conversations involving people associated with Reform UK.

Among those filmed was Alan Feeney, a councillor in Solihull and Birmingham who had previously been a Conservative. ITV reported that he made racist remarks about Asian residents and discussed removing people from their homes and sending them to Pakistan.

Other footage showed Jamie Campbell and Chris Whelan, who were also elected as Reform councillors, making offensive comments. Whelan was recorded making sexually explicit remarks about a female candidate, including a statement suggesting he would sexually assault her if given the opportunity to hug her.

In a separate recording, Bromley councillor Dean Miller was reported to have made an extreme remark about King Charles, based on an unfounded claim about the King’s religion. Other footage featured hostile language about Muslims, black children and Asian communities. <Cite refs={[“turn313710news18″,”turn313710news23”]}/>

The comments are serious because they came from people who had sought, or obtained, elected office under the Reform banner. Councillors have responsibilities to represent all residents in their wards, regardless of race, religion or background.

It is important, however, to distinguish the conduct of particular individuals from the views of every party member or voter. The recordings raise questions about those featured and the party’s selection procedures; they do not establish that every Reform representative shares the same attitudes.

Farage faces questions over candidate vetting

The controversy has renewed scrutiny of Farage’s pledge to professionalise Reform UK and improve its vetting process.

The party leader has previously said he does not want extremists or bigots in the organisation. Following the latest investigation, he argued that vetting cannot predict everything a person might say in the future and noted that some individuals filmed by ITV had previously belonged to other political parties.

Farage also suggested that the investigation reflected the establishment’s desire to keep Reform out of political power. <Cite refs={[“turn313710search13″,”turn313710news18”]}/>

His response highlights the competing arguments now surrounding the scandal. Reform maintains that individuals can behave inappropriately after being selected and that the party should be judged by how it responds when misconduct comes to light.

Critics, however, argue that the footage raises a deeper question: whether warning signs were missed before candidates were approved, and whether the party responded adequately when concerns about particular individuals were raised.

The issue is particularly significant for a party that has expanded its presence in local government. As its number of councillors and candidates grows, the process of checking applicants’ histories, public statements and conduct becomes increasingly important.

A robust vetting system cannot guarantee that every candidate will behave appropriately. But it should identify credible warning signs, establish clear standards and provide a reliable process for investigating allegations.

Several councillors leave the party

The investigation has already had concrete consequences.

ITV reported that Alan Feeney, Jamie Campbell and Chris Whelan had left Reform UK following the revelations. Feeney initially said he would continue as an independent councillor, while Campbell and Whelan resigned from their council roles as well. Dean Miller and Raymond Dunning were also among the individuals reported to have left the party while retaining their council seats as independents. Other councillors featured in the investigation remained in office at the time of ITV’s reporting. <Cite refs={[“turn313710search4″,”turn313710news17”]}/>

Feeney subsequently issued an apology, describing his comments as offensive and unacceptable and acknowledging that they had caused hurt. The departures do not, by themselves, settle every question raised by the investigation, but they demonstrate that the footage has had direct consequences for some of those involved.

Reform has said investigations have begun into members, activists and councillors whose conduct was shown in the recordings. It has also stated that some individuals have been suspended and insisted that due process must be followed.

The party’s response will be assessed partly by whether its investigations are transparent, whether disciplinary decisions are consistent and whether it explains how the problems occurred.

A wider question about political culture

The investigation has also exposed concerns about the way some party representatives speak privately about groups of people and political opponents.

One of the most troubling aspects is the contrast between public campaigning and private conversations. Candidates ask voters for their trust and support, but elected representatives are also expected to exercise judgement, respect the law and serve the whole community.

Racist and religiously abusive language can undermine public confidence in that responsibility. Sexist remarks and statements suggesting sexual violence raise separate concerns about whether individuals are suitable to represent the public.

The standards expected of politicians should not depend on party affiliation. The same principles apply to Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and other political organisations: candidates should be held accountable for their conduct, and credible allegations should be investigated fairly.

There is also a distinction between advocating restrictive immigration policies and expressing hatred towards people because of their ethnicity or religion. Immigration, asylum and integration are legitimate subjects of political debate. But disagreement over policy does not justify threats, dehumanising language or discriminatory treatment.

That distinction is important because a political party can argue for stricter border controls while still being expected to reject racism and violence among its representatives.

Reform says it is taking action

In its response to ITV, Reform UK said there was no place for racism in the party and that it had improved and prioritised its vetting procedures. The party also stressed that not everyone recorded by the undercover reporters was a member and said individual cases should be handled through appropriate procedures. <Cite refs={[“turn313710search2″,”turn313710search10”]}/>

The statement sets out the party’s position, but the effectiveness of its response will depend on what happens next.

Reform will need to establish whether its existing procedures were followed, whether relevant information was available before candidates were approved and whether complaints were handled properly. If weaknesses are identified, the party could face pressure to strengthen background checks, clarify disciplinary rules and create more reliable channels for reporting misconduct.

It must also address concerns about whether candidates are ever encouraged to conceal controversial associations rather than confront them honestly. ITV reported footage in which a party branch figure advised an undercover reporter to delete social media posts associated with far-right activist Tommy Robinson before applying to become a candidate. The individual involved disputed aspects of how the conversation should be interpreted. <Cite refs={[“turn313710search2″,”turn313710news9”]}/>

Such allegations make the vetting debate more complicated than a simple question of whether individual candidates made offensive comments. They raise questions about the culture surrounding candidate selection and what behaviour the organisation is prepared to tolerate.

What the scandal means for Reform’s future

The political consequences will depend on how the party responds and how voters interpret the findings. The investigation may reinforce existing concerns among critics, while supporters may argue that the behaviour of a limited number of individuals should not define the entire organisation.

Neither reaction removes the need for accountability. A party with a substantial local-government presence has a responsibility to ensure that candidates understand the standards expected of them and that serious misconduct has meaningful consequences.

The issue also presents a test of Farage’s leadership. Promises to remove extremists are straightforward to make, but implementing them requires consistent decisions, even when the people involved have electoral value or personal connections within the party.

Reform has an opportunity to demonstrate that its stated opposition to racism is reflected in its procedures and actions. Equally, continued revelations or unclear disciplinary decisions could intensify scrutiny of whether its safeguards are adequate.

Accountability must go beyond political point-scoring

The ITV investigation has brought disturbing statements into public view and raised legitimate questions about candidate vetting, party culture and the conduct of elected officials.

The people recorded are responsible for their own words and actions. The party leadership, meanwhile, must explain what checks were in place, what it knew and how it will prevent similar problems in the future.

It would be wrong to use the allegations to label every Reform supporter as racist. It would be equally wrong to dismiss the recordings simply because they are politically inconvenient or because the party believes it has been unfairly targeted.

Ultimately, the test is whether political organisations apply their standards consistently. Voters are entitled to expect representatives who can debate contentious policies without resorting to racist abuse, misogyny or threats of violence.

For Reform UK, the immediate challenge is to show that its stated values are more than campaign language. The coming disciplinary decisions and any changes to its vetting procedures will provide a clearer indication of how seriously the party intends to address the concerns exposed by ITV.