A candidate associated with a political reform party, who had an encounter with King Charles, is under scrutiny for sharing derogatory anti-Muslim remarks. Daniel Devaney, a contender in the upcoming local elections representing Nigel Farage’s party, made inflammatory comments advocating for violence against Muslims. The former canteen assistant, known for his admiration of Enoch Powell, also referred to Muslims as “scum.” Devaney, a retired individual with a background in the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI), was previously photographed alongside Prince Charles on HMS Invincible. When approached by the Mirror regarding his controversial Facebook posts, Devaney acknowledged his misconduct by admitting he was “well out of order.”
Reform’s party leadership faced criticism over the vetting process of candidates, following revelations by the anti-racism organization Hope Not Hate (HnH) that party officials failed to sufficiently screen Devaney. HnH’s senior researcher, Harry Shukman, highlighted the recurring issue of Islamophobia within Reform, citing Devaney as the latest example of such behavior. Shukman emphasized that discriminatory attitudes towards Muslims have no place in politics and expressed concern over the party’s acceptance of anti-Muslim individuals.
In one of his Facebook posts, Devaney targeted Keir Starmer and made disparaging remarks about Muslims in relation to the conflict in Gaza. He advocated for extreme measures against Muslims, calling them “pure scum.” Additionally, Devaney incited “civil unrest” in another post, criticizing the Labour party and immigrants with private healthcare. He called for the removal of Starmer and his party through riots and demonstrations.
Further instances of Devaney’s prejudiced remarks included Islamophobic jokes and condemnations of Muslims for various reasons, such as associating them with criminal activities. He also praised Enoch Powell, a controversial figure known for his divisive views on immigration and race relations.
Devaney is seeking a district council seat in Bradford under the Reform party banner. In response to the Mirror’s inquiries, he distanced himself from his previous inflammatory statements, attributing them to emotional outbursts. Devaney expressed regret for his language and clarified that his intentions were to provoke rather than reflect his true beliefs. He apologized for the offensive content of his posts and emphasized his commitment to serving his community, denying any racist intent.
Reform UK stated that they were investigating the allegations against Devaney. This revelation follows reports of other controversial actions by Reform candidates, including spreading Covid conspiracy theories and making inflammatory remarks about public figures.