What the recordings captured

The farage reform uk racist remarks documentary by ITV centres on footage of Ed Sumner, Reform's head of communications, telling Nigel Farage he was protecting a high-profile mayoral candidate accused of making racist comments about David Lammy. That candidate was Chris Parry, a retired rear admiral the party had selected to contest the Hampshire and the Solent mayoral election.

The recordings captured Parry's remarks about minority ethnic politicians:

• Parry had said last year that David Lammy, the former foreign secretary, should 'go home to the Caribbean'.
• He suggested at least eight other politicians from minority ethnic backgrounds do not have a primary loyalty towards the UK.
• Sumner told a press officer Parry was 'clearly a racist'.
• When the controversy broke in December, Sumner was filmed saying 'He needs to go, I'm getting rid of him'.

'You're protecting him'

Three weeks later, Parry was still the candidate. At a press conference, Farage said he could stay if he apologised. In a recorded conversation, Farage told Sumner that Parry must apologise to Lammy, adding: 'He must do it and move on … Tell him that from me.'

Suspension and later comments

Parry was suspended on 26 March after the Guardian reported he had described members of a Jewish neighbourhood watch group as 'cosplayers' and likened them to 'Islamists on horseback'.

He referred the Guardian to a statement given to ITV, in which he said: 'I would urge people to go back to the original contexts and tweets to see what was said and why.' According to the statement, the tweets related to reparations and failures by police and government.

Labour reaction and other recordings

Labour party chair Bridget Phillipson said the 'latest shocking and deeply disturbing revelations go right to the top of Reform', and that Farage must explain why he allegedly stood by a 'blatant racist'.

The programme also recorded Sarah Pochin, Reform MP for Runcorn and Helsby, complaining that other party officials 'are so fucking chauvinistic' and 'they just exclude you if you are a woman'. When the undercover reporter met her, she was the party's only female MP. On learning of women press officers, she said: 'Oh thank fuck for that. God! We so need women press officers … It's really tough being a girl with all of this alpha male shit going on.' Pochin did not provide a statement when approached by ITV.

Reform UK accused ITV and Hardcash Productions of using 'extreme methods of deception', saying the undercover journalist used altered documents, a false address and false credentials, and also sought sensitive security information, travel arrangements and financial information outside the investigation's scope. The party said Farage and other members are being targeted by individuals who wish them harm, causing a documented security issue, and stated: 'There is no room for racism in Reform UK. We always respect due process of investigations.'

The full documentary, Undercover: A Year in Reform, made with Hardcash Productions, airs on Sunday.