Reform leader Farage rejects racism claim over 'Nigerian scammer' tweet

Nigel Farage appeared on BBC Breakfast on Monday morning to address the growing controversy over a tweet by Raheem Kassam. Kassam, who is being considered for the role of Reform chief of staff, had called opposition leader Kemi Badenoch a “Nigerian scammer” the previous week. The tweet sparked accusations of racism across the political spectrum, forcing Farage to confront the issue directly on live television.

During the interview, presenter Sally Nugent pressed Farage on whether he considered the comment racist. Farage answered, “No, I don’t.” He argued that Kassam had simply stated two separate truths: Badenoch is of Nigerian descent, and she is a scammer because she has said things that are demonstrably untrue. Farage maintained that the juxtaposition of the two words did not automatically create a single racist image.

When asked if he had a specific defense, Farage suggested that Kassam is “of Indian heritage.” He implied that this background might preclude the comment from being a standard racial slur. Farage also noted that he could not be held personally responsible for every social media post made by his friends and supporters within the Reform party. He described the situation as a recurring challenge for his organization.

Reform MPs offered mixed reactions to the incident in the days leading up to the broadcast. Former chief minister Robert Jenrick described Kassam’s comment as a form of “forensic journalism” by referring to him as a journalist. Danny Kruger, a prominent member of the party, stated that he could not conceive of any of Farage’s close friends being racist. He argued that the phrase “Nigerian scammer” could not be considered racist in that context.

Kassam later emailed a journalist from The Guardian to provide an update on the situation. He said Farage had given him a “ticking off” for the tweet because it was neither “clever nor funny.” Kassam admitted in hindsight that the tweet could have been better phrased and timed. He also suggested that spending too much time in the United States had affected his sense of humor, noting that out-and-out racism is an acceptable rite of political discourse there.

Despite the claimed contrition, Kassam was posting about “Kemi Scammenoch” on X on Tuesday morning. He subsequently deleted that post, as well as his original “Nigerian scammer” tweet which had been pinned. The deletion of the posts occurred after the BBC interview and Kassam’s email to the press.

The next scheduled media appearances for Farage and Kassam are not yet confirmed. The Reform party has not issued a formal statement regarding the internal handling of the controversy or Kassam’s potential appointment as chief of staff.