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The Reform leader is now under significant public pressure following a series of controversies, with a recent sting investigation resulting in two senior party figures stepping down from their posts
Nigel Farage has been wrapped up in yet another controversy(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Nigel Farage’s position as leader of the Reform Party is under continued pressure following a series of controversies, with the latest falling in the midst of its annual conference.
The right-wing party has been rocked in the polls in recent months following Andy Burnham‘s entry to Number 10, with Farage under Parliamentary investigation over a £5 million “gift” he failed to disclose before becoming leader. Now, Reform has been swept up in a sting investigation revealing him celebrating the prospect of yet more donations after senior figures reportedly commissioned favourable polls via an “off the book” backer.
With those senior figures today having stepped down and Farage forced yet again onto the back foot, further questions have been raised over his leadership of the party he founded.
Pressure has intensified after the sting investigation, which was aired by Channel 4 but carried out by reporters from investigative reporters at Verbatim, claimed James Orr, the party’s Head of Policy, and close Farage aide Dan Jukes arranged for a US company to fund three polls Reform had commissioned.
The report claimed the polls were then presented as being independent, making headline news and allegedly building support for the party ahead of May’s local elections.
But, it claimed the public was not informed that Reform UK had commissioned the polls and would be arranging for an “off the book” backer to fund them. The three polls were said to cost £32,500 in total.
And Mr Orr and Mr Jukes were unaware that the people posing as donors behind the US firm were an undercover team posing as UK-based “William Lockwood” and his American father.
Mr Farage reportedly met with the undercover team in late July over oysters and wine in his Clacton constituency after the surveys had been published and paid for.
According to the footage aired on Channel 4 last night, Mr Farage said the polling was “amazing” and provided “bang for buck,” adding: “It worked. Boom.” Reform made significant gains in the local elections.
The recorded discussion then allegedly turned to a potential larger donation, with a plan forming for the American dad to provide the cash through his UK-based son as the declared donor. The arrangement would have been illegal under UK law.
British political leaders from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Green Party have now called for Reform to be investigated, while Mr Farage denied wrongdoing by his party.
But the controversy did lead Reform to jettison the two senior figures implicated in the sting operation, Mr Orr and Mr Jukes, with the party saying it has launched an investigation.
Farage said during an interview with LBC following the allegations: “The party has broken no laws. The party has not taken any dodgy money or anything like that whatsoever. However, it is a clear case of entrapment, and they worked at it for a very, very long time, and they got a couple of our contractors to say things that perhaps should not have been said.
“And as a result of that, you know, they have been removed this morning. And yeah, you know, I’m not happy about it.”
