What ITV’s Reform UK documentary revealed about Solihull councillors

An ITV documentary has revealed the full extent of comments made by three Solihull councillors who were secretly filmed during an undercover investigation into Reform UK.

The programme, Undercover: A Year in Reform, aired on ITV1 on Sunday, October 18, following revelations that former Solihull deputy mayor Alan Feeney and fellow councillors Jamie Campbell and Chris Whelan had made offensive remarks while campaigning ahead of May’s local elections.

What did Alan Feeney say?

Feeney, who represented Castle Bromwich on Solihull Council and Shard End on Birmingham City Council, was filmed making racist comments about Asian residents.

While walking through a residential area with undercover ITV reporters, he described the presence of Asian families as an infestation and called them “absolute parasites”.

He also said he would refuse to knock on doors where residents had Asian names, claiming they would not vote for Reform UK.

In another conversation, Feeney advocated forcibly removing Muslim residents from their homes and deporting them to Pakistan. He also suggested that non-white people should make up no more than one per cent of Britain’s population.

The footage showed Feeney discussing housing and planning issues, which had been central to his local campaigning, while making comments about the ethnicity of homeowners.

When challenged by a resident about whether he was targeting Asian people, Feeney insisted his concerns were about house extensions rather than the people building them.

Jamie Campbell’s comments about a mosque

The investigation also captured Jamie Campbell discussing the possibility of a mosque being built in Castle Bromwich.

Campbell suggested buying pork chops and burying them in the ground as a way of preventing the development.

The comments were made during a conversation with Feeney and Whelan, who also made remarks about a female Reform UK candidate during the exchange.

Campbell subsequently apologised for any offence caused, describing his comment as an attempt at humour that, in hindsight, may have been in poor taste. He denied being racist or sexist and said he had always worked to support residents from different backgrounds.

Chris Whelan’s remarks about female candidates

Whelan was filmed making sexually explicit comments about female Reform UK candidates.

In one conversation, he made inappropriate remarks about a female candidate, referring to bathing her if she were his daughter.

He also made sexually explicit comments about another woman and used a racist slur during a discussion involving an Asian man.

The footage prompted further scrutiny of the conduct of Reform UK representatives and the party’s processes for selecting election candidates.

What happened after the investigation?

All three men were elected to represent Castle Bromwich on Solihull Council in May 2026.

Following the revelations, Feeney and Whelan left Reform UK and subsequently resigned from the council. Campbell also resigned from Solihull Council after the footage emerged.

Feeney, who had served as deputy mayor of Solihull, also resigned from Birmingham City Council, where he represented Shard End.

Feeney issued an apology, describing his comments as wrong, offensive and completely unacceptable. Campbell also issued a statement denying racist or sexist views and apologising for any offence caused.

Reform UK responds to the revelations

The investigation raised questions about Reform UK’s vetting procedures, with all three men having been approved to stand for election before winning their seats.

A Reform UK spokesperson said the party had begun investigations into inappropriate behaviour and insisted there was no room for racism within its ranks.

The party also acknowledged that its vetting procedures could fail to identify individuals who did not share its values.

The revelations have placed the conduct of elected representatives in Solihull under renewed scrutiny, with all three Castle Bromwich council seats now vacant following the resignations.