“I think unfortunately Mr Tice might well be trying to whip up an issue there.”
In another demonstration of Reform’s inclination towards inciting unrest, the party’s deputy leader Richard Tice has said he would encourage men to form more patrol groups to protect women.
At Reform’s conference on women’s safety on Monday, Reform MP for Runcorn and Helsby Sarah Pochin said it was “no surprise” British men are forming street patrol groups due to the threat posed to women’s safety by immigration.
On Times Radio yesterday, Tice made alarming remarks endorsing more ‘vigilante’ patrol groups.
In an open goal for Reform UK, The Times’ Kate McCann asked Tice: “Would you encourage more groups of people to set up these sort of groups themselves in their area?”.
The Reform UK deputy leader responded: “I think we should absolutely ensure that our women and children are safe in this country and if that involves a few extra patrols on a Neighbourhood Watch within the bounds of the law.
“Then yes, I think that is a sensible community-spirited thing to do.”
He also said: “It’s actually part of our neighbourly duty to protect our own”.
Tice claimed that there was a need for the groups due to a lack of police resources, stating: “traditionally we would like police to keep our women, children and men safe”.
However, he claimed that “the scale of the challenge has become so huge and the police have become so distracted pursuing online tweets and other unnecessary things”, that people are taking matters into their own hands.
The Reform deputy leader also made a dog-whistle claim that “sexual catcalling, harassment, leering, sneering, jeering and sexual assaults and rapes” are taking place near asylum hotels.
Tice separately told The Times that asylum seekers are “leering and jeering” at women taking their children to primary school, but refused to specify where this was happening or provide any proof.
Responding to Tice’s comments on Times Radio, Labour policing minister Diana Johnson said: “I think unfortunately Mr Tice might well be trying to whip up an issue there.”
Johnson said she hasn’t seen any evidence of people hanging around outside primary schools, but that Tice should report any incidents in his constituency to the police if he is aware of them.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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