A REFORM UK election agent has admitted that he has “never met” several of the candidates who ran for the party in Glasgow.
Of the six candidates running for Nigel Farage’s party in the city for the General Election, three had no visible online presence at all and were registered to addresses in England.
Helen Burns, Morag McRae and Jonathan Walmsley ran in Glasgow North, Glasgow South West and Glasgow North East respectively – amassing thousands of votes.
But David Stark – who also ran for Reform in Rutherglen and was listed as their election agent – told The National on his doorstep that he has “never met” any of them.
It comes amid concern on social media over Reform candidates across the UK who appear to have almost no online presence and have never stepped foot in the area they stood in at the General Election.
A series of candidates listed on the Nigel Farage-led party’s election website only show their name and the constituency they stood in, without any information about them, or contact details beyond a generic regional email address.
Under electoral rules, the only details that need to be given about the candidate is their full name and the constituency where they live. They must all have an agent, and be nominated by 10 local voters.
When confronted about the ghost candidates, Stark told The National that he had not met any of the candidates and wasn’t sure whether any of them had ever been to Glasgow.
He said that they were Reform members from England and were chosen given the time constraints with the election.
“They've got votes. It gives people a chance to vote Reform,” Stark said.
He added: “We had two weeks to organise 57 candidates in Scotland. Inevitably, some of them were paper candidates.
“Various people who were chosen were away on holiday or business and we had to substitute with other people. That's just what happens. I'm sure other parties have done the same thing.”
While paper candidates, who stand little chance of winning and therefore don’t campaign, are not uncommon in UK politics, it is rare for so little information to be available about candidates online.
Reform’s chairman (above), meanwhile, said he is “steaming mad” about the accusations.
Richard Tice denied reports his party used AI-generated candidates after one social media user’s post went viral, saying: “Is there any evidence that Mark Matlock (candidate for Clapham & Brixton Hill) actually exists? He looks AI generated.”
We might be on the verge of a HUGE SCANDAL. Suspicions have been raised that Reform have fielded election candidates that aren’t real people. Is there any evidence that Mark Matlock (candidate for Clapham & Brixton Hill) actually exists? He looks AI generated. pic.twitter.com/0wJcR4HZXG
— Dr Bella (@Dr_BellaR) July 8, 2024
Private Eye magazine managed to track down Matlock who admitted the image on the flyer was partly AI-generated because there was no photo of him wearing the Reform’s trademark turquoise tie, but he has since also appeared on GB News to show he is indeed real.
Reform have been approached for comment.
