Fan groups Blue Action and Rainbow Tractors have issued statements regarding Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s visit to Portman Road earlier in the week.
Reform’s private tour of the ground on Monday afternoon has continued to dominate online discussion with many fans expressing their anger and disappointment that Farage had been allowed to use the club for promotional purposes ahead of the May elections, prior to a rally at Trinity Park in the evening.
The Blues, who haven’t added to the statement they released last night, have continued to deny that Farage was invited by representatives of the club, contrary to claims by the Reform leader himself and The Athletic, or that there was anything to the visit above and beyond the now-notorious tour, which is understood to have lasted around half an hour.
According to The Guardian’s Nick Ames, a Town supporter, the players discussed the matter at training this morning, some unimpressed that Farage had been "allowed to project himself from areas that are sacrosanct to them on a matchday”. A number of sponsors are also believed to have expressed their concerns to the club.
Blue Action, formed at the start of the 2018/19 season with the aim of improving the atmosphere at home games but which campaigned against former owner Marcus Evans during the latter days of his tenure, expressed their concerns in a statement.
Rainbow Tractors, the club’s official LGBTQ+ supporters group, said in their statement that they feel "disappointed and let down”.