It was pointed out that Reform is "very vocal" about violence against women and girls but not when it comes to Donald Trump
Reform mayor Andrea Jenkyns almost walked off the Jeremy Vine show after commentator Marina Purkiss asked her about her party’s support for Donald Trump following the release of the Epstein files.
Vine had said that allegations about Trump are “horrific and we can’t even say it on the air”.
Jenkyns immediately interjected: “If there’s truth in it that’s a different question.”
The files contain over 38,000 references to Trump, his wife, and Mar-a-Lago, including salacious claims about his behaviour towards young women and girls.
Purkiss responded to Jenkyns, saying: “I’m really struggling here, I’m going to try and stay calm with this ok, because you and your party are very vocal when it comes to protecting women and girls.
“Here we are faced with the most cruel, brutal, elite, unpunished grooming gang, pedophile ring in the world and it is remarkable how quiet you all are.”
Purkiss then brought up Reform and Nigel Farage’s admiration for Trump, asking if the party still supports him following the allegations revealed in the files.
Pressed on whether she still supports him, Jenkyns did not answer and became increasingly frustrated at the line of questioning.
Vine said: “I think you do still support him, right because as you’re saying he’s not guilty in your terms.”
The Reform mayor for Greater Lincolnshire said she believed in “due process” and that anyone found guilty should be “outed”.
Purkiss pointed out that “the due process isn’t happening, because under him [Trump] there are still millions of files that haven’t been released.”
She then summed it up: “There is no mention of you ever talking about women and girls unless it’s through the lens of immigration, but here when faced with this guy who is on your side, not a peep.”
Jenkyns then asked whether it was worth her even staying on the show, claiming that she wasn’t able to “get a word in edgeways”.
Purkiss pointed out that casting aside the files, Trump was convicted of sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll in a the civil rape case and recorded talking about grabbing women “by the pu**y”.
Jenkyns then threatened to walk out if she did not get a chance to speak.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward doesn't have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.