Drip feed of Reform UK controversies puts party’s policy drive in shade

Sacking of Simon Dudley is latest distraction at a time when party is keen to show it is serious contender for government

It was a week that started with a candid admission from Nigel Farage when asked if his party’s vetting process was now finally up to scratch. “I accept that at the last general election, basically there was no vetting really,” the Reform UK leader said after the latest of what a senior colleague had described as a “series of abhorrent incidents”.

The latest had involved a Welsh Senedd candidate, Corey Edwards, who was forced to step down after a picture of him appearing to do a Nazi salute surfaced online.