Candidate leaves Nigel Farage's Reform UK party over 'racist, misogynistic, bigoted' members

July 2 (UPI) -- A Reform UK candidate for Parliament on Tuesday announced she has left the party to join the Conservative and Unionist Party, which commonly is referred to as the Tories.

Georgie David initially was the Reform UK Party candidate for the West Ham and Beckton constituency but on Tuesday accused the party of being comprised of many "racist, misogynistic and bigoted" members.

The Reform UK Party and its senior leaders aren't racist, but the "vast majority of candidates are indeed racist, misogynistic and bigoted" and hold views that vastly differ from her own, David said in a statement Tuesday.

"I do not wish to be directly associated with people who hold such views," she said.

David accused Reform UK Party leader Nigel Farage and other party leaders of ignoring the matter and trying to "brush it under the carpet or cry foul play.

Her exit from the Reform UK Party doesn't end her candidacy for the West Ham and Beckton constituency's Parliamentarian position.

Instead, she joined the Conservative Party but will remain listed as a Reform UK Party candidate on election ballots and will sit with the Conservative Party if elected.

Reform Party chair Richard Tice accused David of being a Conservative Party plant.

"Desperate toxic Tories sent us some Trojan horse candidate by offering jobs, safe council seats, etc., to spread lies," Tice said in a social media post.

David was a late addition to the Reform Party's slate of candidates to replace prior candidate Peter Monks, whose name was removed from the party's rolls without explanation earlier this year.

Six reform Party candidates in June were suspended from the party due to online comments made or for their prior party membership.

Reform Party leaders accused a contractor of failing to sufficiently vet its candidates.