Jack Aaron, a former Reform UK candidate who described Hitler as “brilliant” and Assad as “gentle by nature,” is now in charge of the party’s candidate vetting. Yes, really.
Reform’s Vetting Strategy: Let the Hitler Fan Do It?
Jack Aaron’s past comments about Hitler, Bashar al-Assad, and even Vladimir Putin have resurfaced — and they’re not pretty.
Aaron once said Hitler was “brilliant” at motivating people and described Assad as “gentle by nature” rather than a ruthless dictator. He also defended Putin’s use of force in Ukraine as “legitimate.”
Despite this, Reform UK has put him in charge of screening future candidates. Aaron will now be tasked with combing through prospective candidates’ social media and advising them on what to delete.
The Backlash Begins
Labour MP Josh Simons didn’t hold back:
“First, they don’t vet candidates at all. Now they’ve put an apologist for Putin and Assad in charge of vetting. If you can’t vet your vetter, you can’t run the country.”
He also mocked Reform’s defence of Aaron’s suitability for the role:
“You couldn’t make it up. ‘He can’t be racist because he’s Jewish.’ Out of touch and out of ideas.”
Reform’s Defence: “He’s Jewish”
Reform UK defended the appointment, pointing to Aaron’s Jewish background and his role on his local synagogue council. His grandfather was a refugee from Vienna, and much of his family were victims of Hitler’s regime.
The party also distanced itself from Aaron’s beliefs about socionics — a pseudoscientific personality theory he promotes through the World Socionics Society. According to Aaron, Hitler was just using personality traits to inspire people.
Aaron’s History of Controversial Comments
Aaron’s LinkedIn paints a colourful picture. He lists himself as a business psychologist, consultant, YouTuber, relationship counsellor, and matchmaker.
But his comments have raised eyebrows before:
- On Hitler: “Brilliant in using Fe+Ni [socionics personality traits] to inspire people.”
- On Putin: “The motivation to acquire and wield force is legitimate.”
- On Assad: “Gentle by nature” and “led astray” by stereotypes.
When contacted by The Times last year, Aaron stood by his comments, claiming they were part of a broader psychological perspective.
Reform’s “Tougher” Vetting?
Reform’s leader, Nigel Farage, promised a tougher vetting process after more than 100 candidates were dropped due to offensive and racist remarks.
Reform’s chair, Zia Yusuf, claimed that the party now has the most rigorous vetting system of any political party. Apparently, that involves letting the guy who defended Hitler and Assad decide who’s fit for office.
What Happens Next?
Reform UK insists it’s taking candidate selection seriously. However, with Aaron at the helm, it’s hard to see how this ends well.
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