Chris Parry says his post was intended ‘ironically’
Reform UK’s candidate for the Hampshire and Solent mayoralty, Chris Parry, has finally been forced to apologise for his comments saying the deputy prime minister David Lammy should “go home”.
Parry, an ex-Royal Navy Rear Admiral, said that Lammy should “go home to the Caribbean” where his “loyalty lies”.
Lammy, who was born in London to Guyanese parents, branded the comments as “1950s style hate”.
Nigel Farage has faced repeated calls from the Labour Party to sack Parry as their candidate.
Parry has also questioned the loyalty of at least eight other politicians who are not white.
He questioned the loyalties of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf, independent MP Zarah Sultana and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.
The Reform candidate also said that Christian converts should have to eat bacon or sausages to prove their commitment to Christianity.
Last week, Farage called Parry’s comments about Lammy “over the top” and said he should apologise for them.
In his statement, Parry said: “Recalling Mr Lammy’s longstanding self-identification as a Caribbean person, I tweeted ironically and probably too casually, that he should therefore ‘go home to the Caribbean where loyalty lies’.”
He added: “It reflected that I believed that it was inappropriate and unpatriotic for the British-born foreign secretary of the United Kingdom to be promoting the interests of countries other than the one in which he held one of the great offices of state.
“The tweet’s timing and wording also related to the fact that he had recently been to Guyana and the Caribbean on official business.
“Although I might not agree with his political beliefs, I recognise Mr Lammy’s long career in public service, currently as deputy prime minister.”
Parry then said: “It is unfortunate that much more was read into a clumsily worded, nine-month-old tweet than was intended, and I apologise for any distress or offence that it caused.”
On TalkTV last month, Parry refused to apologise for his comments and wouldn’t confirm Lammy’s loyalty to the UK.
Parry has not apologised for any of his other comments.
Following Parry’s apology, a Labour Party post on X said: “Nigel Farage should stop being so weak and throw Chris Parry out of Reform UK today.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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