A Reform UK local election candidate has not responded to allegations that racist and antisemitic words were posted on a social media account bearing his name. Caley Ashman, who is standing for election to Dudley Council in the Cradley North and Wollescote ward, came under fire from political opponents after the word 'Goyslop' appeared in a post on his X account, Caashman.
The post, published in March 2025, was exposed by the campaigning group Hope Not Hate, along with another post on the same account that reposted homophobic comments from conspiracy theorist Owen Benjamin. Joe Mulhall, director of research at Hope Not Hate, stated: 'Voters should be very concerned that extremist candidates like Caley Ashman have passed Reform's vetting process, which Zia Yusuf once described as "the best" in the country. Time and again it has proven to be not only completely inadequate, but a systematic failure. The question is, why do so many extremists think that Reform UK is the party for them?'
Reform UK declined to comment on Mr Ashman's posts, and he has not responded to requests for comment from the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The party has been approached both locally and nationally. Speaking on the BBC show Question Time, Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's spokesperson on home affairs, said: 'I set up our vetting process and I am very proud of it. We have vetted north of 9,000 candidates, and we are standing five-and-a-half thousand plus candidates in the space of two years. It is unprecedented in British political history. If I told you our vetting process was perfect, you would know that could not be possible, but it is north of 99 percent accurate, and to the degree that some slip through the net, we act on it decisively.'
The word 'Goyslop' was originally intended as an antisemitic slang term for poor-quality food produced by Jews to be fed to non-Jews. However, Hope Not Hate says it is also used to describe the idea that Jews create low-quality entertainment to distract non-Jews. Mr Ashman's account has been home to other controversial posts on X. In July 2024, a post said: 'I voted and I chose reform as they were the least worse option. Top of the T**d*.' In March 2025, another post on Caashman stated: 'You shouldn't let foreigners look after the young or old as they don't care about you.'
His political opponents in the May 7 election have been quick to condemn the posts on X. Labour's candidate for Cradley North and Wollescote, Matt Collins, said: 'I am appalled by these unacceptable reports of unacceptable language. Antisemitic conspiracy theories have no place in our community or in democratic politics. The people of Cradley and Wollescote deserve representatives who bring people together, not figures who promote hatred and division.'
The seat is currently held by the Liberal Democrats, and their Dudley group leader, Cllr Ryan Priest, called on Reform to suspend Mr Ashman. Cllr Priest said: 'I know the good people of Cradley and Wollescote would never elect a bigot like Caley Ashman. Serious questions need to be asked about the Reform UK vetting process for this vile individual to have been allowed to stand.'
