In light of a Reform UK candidate’s contentious comments praising Hitler’s “brilliance,” the party faces renewed scrutiny and serious questions about its candidate vetting process. Here’s the full story.
Fascists Within the Ranks
It seems Reform UK, the UK’s newest insurgent anti-immigration, populist right-wing party, fronted by repeat political boogeyman Nigel Farage, is having a problem with fascists within its ranks.
Candidate Amidst Maelstrom
Jack Aaron, a Reform UK candidate, recently found himself amidst a maelstrom of criticism following his comments on Adolf Hitler.
Another Hitler Sympathiser
Strangely, this is the second Reform UK candidate who has had to defend himself against accusations that he was sympathetic to Hitler.
Past Controversial Comment
Ian Gribbin, Reform UK’s Bexhill and Battle candidate, was forced to apologise last week after it emerged that he had written online that “Britain would be in a far better state today had we taken Hitler up on his offer of neutrality.”
“Brilliant” But Evil
Aaron, who is running against the Conservative incumbent Grant Shapps in Welwyn Hatfield, described Hitler as “brilliant” in using personality traits to galvanise people.
Widespread Condemnation Follows
His statements, rooted in the pseudoscientific theory of socionics, have sparked widespread condemnation and raised serious questions about the vetting process for Reform UK candidates.
Psychological Analysis Defense
In his defence, Aaron clarified that his remarks were intended as a psychological analysis rather than an endorsement of Hitler’s actions. He stated, “I was doing a personality type analysis, and as I do that, I look at their natural strengths and their natural weaknesses.”
Controversy Over Comments
However, Aaron then doubled down, telling The Times, “Yes, Hitler was as brilliant as he was utter evil. How is that controversial to say, given that he was able to turn the Germans to such destructive acts, including killing many members of my own family?
Intelligence vs. Morality
He continued, “I strongly believe, as a psychologist, in separating intelligence and talent from morality, so that we can adequately diagnose problems and help people.”
Promoting Discredited Socionics
Aaron, who is not a psychologist, made his comments to promote socionics, a theory he champions as the founder of the World Socionics Society.
Pseudoscience Claims
Socionics is a widely discredited pseudoscience which posits that there are 16 distinct personality types, each with specific traits and interactions.
Lack of Scientific Support
Critics, however, point out the complete lack of empirical support and the resounding absence of any scientific validation.
Claim of “Pre-Science”
Aaron described socionics as a “pre-science” and emphasised his role in validating the idea of the controversial pseudoscience, stating, “My key contribution has been rooting out pseudoscience from socionics.”
Other Controversial Statements
Incredibly, Aaron’s remarks on Hitler are not isolated incidents as, over the past few years, he has made several contentious statements regarding other authoritarian figures.
Assad “Gentle by Nature”
For instance, he referred to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as “gentle by nature” and described Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine as “legitimate.”
Further Fueling Debate
These comments, made on various online platforms, have further fueled the debate over Aaron’s suitability as a political candidate.
“Puppet” Defence
Once again, he attempted to defend his position by stating, “Bashar Al-Assad is a gentle, even quite weak, individual… He’s a puppet,”
Putin “Legitimate” Remarks
Regarding Putin, he stated, “When I said he was legitimate, I’m not saying Putin breaking the international order to invade Ukraine was a perfectly nice thing to do. Absolutely not.”
Conquerors in History
He continued, “The idea of using force to take things… is still a legitimate point of view in history because you look at Alexander the Great, you look at Julius Caesar, every single conqueror. The idea of conquerors has shaped our history so, rather than calling Putin insane, put him in the context of world history.”
Challenges for Reform UK
The significant and growing backlash against Aaron’s comments poses substantial challenges for Reform UK, a party that has recently overtaken the Conservatives in some polls.
Threatening Party Progress
However, controversies like Aaron’s remarks threaten to undermine this progress. Farage has expressed frustration over the vetting process, blaming a third-party company for failing to screen candidates adequately.
Political Ramifications Loom
Despite Farage’s protestations of innocence, the fallout from Aaron’s comments could have significant political ramifications for him, Farage and the Reform UK party.
Crucial Electoral Battle
Aaron’s candidacy is particularly crucial given that he is contesting against a prominent figure like Grant Shapps, and the outcome of this electoral battle could serve as a barometer for the public’s reaction to Reform UK’s handling of controversial issues and candidate statements.
Need for Responsible Communication
In an era of heightened political polarisation and scrutiny, the need for thoughtful and responsible communication has never been greater.
Pseudoscientific Belief’s Cost
Jack Aaron’s defence of his controversial remarks illustrates the almost inconceivable belief in his pseudoscientific theory of personality types, even as the resulting controversy threatens to take down him and his Reform UK candidacy.
Electoral Impact Uncertain
However, whether the second Hitler sympathiser to be revealed as a candidate for Reform UK in as many weeks will affect the party’s electoral prospects remains to be seen.
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