Reform UK has suspended activist and aspiring parliamentary candidate Jason Powell after an undercover ITV News investigation recorded him advocating the use of concentration camps for migrants arriving in small boats and claiming that Muslims could not be British.
The suspension was confirmed in reporting published on 17 and 18 October 2026. Powell had applied to become a Reform parliamentary candidate; he was not an elected MP, and his claim to have passed vetting should not be treated as confirmation that he had been formally selected to stand.
What did the ITV investigation reveal?
ITV News published footage on Saturday 17 October from its year-long undercover investigation, Undercover: A Year in Reform. Powell was filmed at an event held to thank volunteers involved in Nigel Farage’s Clacton election campaign. He suggested that people arriving across the Channel should be held in what he called “concentration camps” pending removal and made comments questioning whether Muslims could be British.
These were Powell’s recorded views, not announced Reform UK policy. ITV also reported controversial remarks by other party activists and councillors. The full documentary was scheduled for ITV1 on Sunday 18 October.
Party confirms suspension
According to the BBC, Reform UK confirmed that Powell had been suspended from party membership while an internal investigation takes place. Suspension is not the same as permanent expulsion, and the outcome of the disciplinary process has not been announced.
In its response to the wider investigation, Reform UK said there was “no room for racism” in the party. It said it had improved candidate vetting but argued that checks cannot predict remarks individuals may make in future. The BBC also reported that the party was pursuing legal action against ITV and the documentary production company over the undercover reporting.
Questions over vetting and accountability
The footage has renewed scrutiny of Reform UK’s selection and vetting arrangements. Reform has said investigations and suspensions have followed some of the material obtained by ITV. The party has also defended the principle of due process for those involved.
The suspension of Powell is the new disciplinary development in this story. It should be distinguished from the wider allegations contained in the documentary and from actions concerning other individuals. No criminal charge against Powell has been reported in the sources cited here.