REFORM’S MOMENTUM SHOWS SIGNS OF SLOWING
After enjoying a lengthy lead in the opinion polls, Reform has seen its popularity wane, driven partly by the funding accusations made against Farage, who is under investigation in parliament over whether he should have declared a £5 million (US$6.75 million) gift from a cryptocurrency billionaire investor. After declaring his decision to trigger the election in Clacton little more than a ploy to distract from those allegations, other British parties pulled out of the race, leaving even some of Farage’s strongest supporters questioning whether the veteran politician had been wrong-footed.
Laura Richards-Gray, a politics lecturer at Birkbeck University in London, said the absence of major-party opponents undermined his attempt to turn it into what he called a “people versus the establishment” contest.
“This has backfired, particularly nationally, as Farage lost control of the narrative,” she said, adding some voters saw the election as “a waste of time and money”.
Farage’s position has not been helped by a rise in support for the governing Labour Party. Since Andy Burnham became prime minister last month, Labour has been enjoying a bounce in ratings, with the party leading Reform 28 per cent to 25 per cent. Burnham has dominated the airwaves and social media in his first few weeks in office, and while the next national election is expected in three years’ time, he appears to be consolidating a left-leaning bloc around Labour.
Reform, on the other hand, is competing for a divided right-wing vote with the Conservative Party and the anti-immigration party Restore Britain gaining in support.
GIFT FROM BILLIONAIRE CRYPTO INVESTOR
Despite winning this vote, the parliamentary watchdog is expected to continue its investigation into his financial declarations once he returns to parliament. At the heart of the investigation is whether he should have declared the gift from a Thailand-based billionaire before the 2024 national election.
Under parliamentary rules, members of parliament must declare any donations received in the year preceding an election within one month of taking office. Farage has admitted receiving the money, but not declaring it, saying he has done nothing wrong because it was a personal gift.
If the parliamentary authorities, who are investigating, conclude that Farage breached declaration rules, he could face a suspension from parliament, and another vote to retain his seat, where the main parties would probably field candidates.
