Reform UK’s chief presenter exposed for promoting China’s official Xinjiang narrative

Ray Addison, the chief media presenter for Reform UK, spent part of the past year working for China’s state-controlled propaganda channel CGTN, where he presented a series praising Beijing’s rule in Xinjiang.

According to the report, Addison worked as a CGTN journalist in September 2025 and hosted a video series called “Raymond’s Xinjiang Stories.” The programs praised the region’s infrastructure, described cotton fields facing forced-labor allegations as “splendid,” and credited technology with increasing cotton production and transforming the industry.

CGTN was judged to be under Chinese Communist Party control, and Britain’s broadcasting regulator revoked its license in 2021. Addison now manages Reform UK’s official podcast and social media campaigns, creating a sharp contrast with the party’s established opposition to Beijing.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said earlier this year that he was “extremely concerned” about Chinese espionage in Britain, the theft of industrial secrets and infiltration of universities. Party MP Suella Braverman has accused Beijing of genocide in Xinjiang, while deputy leader Richard Tice has called for a tougher Western response to China’s expansion and its threats to Taiwan.

Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, who has faced Chinese sanctions, questioned whether Reform UK had carried out proper due diligence. Reform UK confirmed that it knew Addison had worked for Chinese state media. The party said he had also worked for international outlets including GB News, had never concealed his past and had a publicly available résumé. It reaffirmed its critical position on China without explaining its vetting process.

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extremely concerned