On a day when Reform UK wallpapered the media yet again – this time with Tory Big Beast Suella Braverman’s defection – you might imagine that a humble by-election candidate could anticipate an easy run in the polls.
Not in Zetland Ward in Redcar and Cleveland.
Reform by-election candidate Michael Manning was announced to a local mini-fanfare – Redcar resident of 40 years, a career in IT, an army veteran.
But while Manning had closed his Twitter/X account (@ukvoxpop), those pesky varmints at Reform Exposed had got there first and saved his posts. His comments reveal the racist bigot behind the mild-mannered image.
Reform Exposed revealed the tweets from 2023 to 2025 on their BlueSky platform.
Sexism
Manning posts a photograph of the Archbishop of Canterbury in her ceremonial vestments with the comment,
“Is there no end to what Trans woman can achieve?”
Racism
Replying to ClimateWarrior7 he posts,
“Are you having the traditional stuffed Chimpanzee for Kwanzaa dinner?
“Personally I find it a bit dry, but you can smother it with smoked giraffe tongue puree to add a bit of zest.
“Follow it with steamed porcupine and custard.”
Since the 1960s, Kwanzaa is followed by many African Americans over the Christmas period.
Why Manning should raise the celebration with an anti-Palestine parody account remains a mystery.
Below what seems to be a photograph of a food sale with a black woman in the foreground he comments:
“It’s an ancient tribal tradition of gathering lard, which is used in all foods to ensure that you end up with a huge ass.
“It’s racist to laugh.”
After a comment about Germany warning about a threat from Russia he jokes,
“I tried to volunteer but there was a massive queue of brown people in front of me.
“I asked what they were doing one said ‘We doctors and engineers are going to fight the Russians with our bare hands so that British people don’t have to. You have done enough.’
“We are blessed.”
In another post:
“Sir Winston Churchill is to be exhumed and charged with war crimes against peace – loving democratically elected Nazis during their War of Liberation from American Imperialism (aka World War II.)
“Police spokesman Ali Al-Akbar said ‘It’s about time this white fascist was taken down.'”
Islamophobia
He posted:
“We already pay the jizya tax, it’s called Universal Credits.
“They are all on it.”
Historically, Jizya was a tax levied on non-muslims in Muslim-ruled States.
On London he posted:
“Londonistan where Sadiq Khan has a built-in majority.
“The white suburbs bled dry by ULEZ to fund inner-city London”.
On Jews and Muslims:
“There is something about circumcision that goes to their heads.”
Then there’s the photograph of a Muslim man with a small girl. Manning asks,
“Is that his wife?”
And support for Tommy Robinson:
“Why does the media have to qualify Tommy Robinson by saying his real name is Steve Yaxley Lennon.”
As a bewildered poster on BlueSky commented:
“I see the excellent vetting process is still working well.”
What now?
The resignation comes too late for changes to official election materials. So Manning’s name with the Reform logo will remain on the ballot paper. Does this mean Redcar and Cleveland will still welcome Manning to the council chamber but as a racist Independent rather than a racist Reform member?
Nigel Farage has opened an inquiry into Manning’s selection.
