Reform shamed by their sick attempt to weaponise Magdeburg

Another tragedy, another unwise rush to judgement from Nigel Farage. At 8.35pm on Friday night, less than two hours after the horrific attack in Magdeburg, Reform’s leader responded to the attack by tweeting, “We have allowed people who hate us and our values into Europe. Christmas is their target. Any guesses why?”

His Reform colleague Rupert Lowe weighed in too. “The time for empty messages of solidarity has long finished, it means nothing in the face of such wicked barbarism,” he wrote. “We cannot go on harbouring those who hate us, and everything we stand for. Europe doesn’t need thoughts or prayers from its politicians, it needs them to wake up.”

Not a word in either of those statements for the victims or their families. And no clarifications issued by Farage or Lowe since it became clear that the alleged attacker was not quite who they expected.

Instead, the suspect is a Saudi doctor and former Muslim whose views on Islam now seem not dissimilar to those of many Reform members. His social media posts also indicate that he is a supporter of Alternative für Deutschland, the far right party that putative Reform backer Elon Musk tweeted his support for earlier on Friday. “Only the AfD can save Germany,” wrote the reactionary tech billionaire, whose reward for this kind of foulness will be a major role in Donald Trump’s second administration.

There will be no apologies for Farage, Lowe or Musk for getting things so badly wrong; just as there was no apology from Farage for his irresponsible haste over the Southport killings.

Their kind never say sorry. Instead, in the weeks ahead, they will no doubt attempt to vindicate their version of events by hinting that the “full story” about this awful event is somehow being concealed.

And what does Farage care for accuracy anyway? His tweet has got 6 million views so far. That’s what really matters to him.

Meanwhile, the people of Magdeburg will bury their dead and the ghouls of Reform will wait by their keyboards for the next tragedy.