Nigel Farage ridiculed with brutal joke about timing of New Year message
Nigel Farage, who released a rambling New Year video message this morning, was ridiculed on social media with a brutal joke about Reform UK’s possible Russia links
Nigel Farage has been ridiculed with a brutal joke about the timing of his New Year message.
The Reform UK leader, who released a rambling five-minute video of “hope” this morning, last night teased the clip with a post on X saying his message would be unveiled at 9am.
But he found himself being mocked over Reform UK’s possible links to Russia – after the party’s ex-leader in Wales was jailed for taking Russian bribes.
Quoting Mr Farage’s post, Labour MP Jonathan Brash replied to the timing announcement by asking whether the Reform UK leader was referring to Britain’s time zone or Russia’s. In a snappy four-word joke, he wrote: “GMT or Moscow time?”
READ MORE: 13 worst Reform moments of 2025 – from Elon Musk, racism scandals and Russian bribes
In his New Year message, Mr Farage moaned about the Government, about schoolkids being taught to be “ashamed of the past” and about “fanatical net zero policies”. He also claimed people are frightened to wear jewellery when walking down the street and suggested people “may well get a knock at the door” if they see anything rude on Facebook.
He said Reform is the party “offering hope” and urged people to join his rightwing outfit.
But Mr Brash’s joke was a stark reminder of the party’s troubles. Last month, Nathan Gill, Reform’s ex-leader in Wales, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison for taking bribes to spout pro-Russia lines in interviews and speeches in the European Parliament.
Gill was an MEP for Ukip and the Brexit Party, both led by Mr Farage, from 2014 to 2020, before becoming Reform’s leader in Wales in 2021. He quit after failing to win a seat in the 2021 Senedd election.
Gill, 52, of Anglesey, North Wales, was paid at least £40,000 by former Ukrainian MP Oleg Voloshyn, who was described as a “pawn” of the Russian security services by the US Government.
Keir Starmer also took aim at Reform’s possible links to Russia at the final Prime Minister’s Questions of the year, earlier this month. Opening his final PMQs of 2025, the PM wished a Merry Christmas to MPs, parliamentary staff and their families in Westminster before mocking the Gill case.
In a lively moment in the Commons, Mr Starmer then said: “A little festive advice to those in Reform. If mysterious men from the East appear bearing gifts, this time report it to the police.”
MPs erupted into laughter across the chamber, including Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice, who started shouting in a particularly animated way.
After Gill was found guilty, Mr Starmer ordered a probe into foreign financial interference in British politics. Ministers said the case was a “stain on our democracy” as they set out plans for an independent probe.
Mr Farage last month ruled out investigating Russian influences in his party as he said Reform are “not a police force”. But he welcomed the idea of a UK-wide probe, saying: “I think that’s right, and I think there are doubts on all sides right at the moment, so I think that would be a good thing to do.”
