Full Breakdown
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Faces Record-Low Polling Amid £72 million Donation Probe
By Drooid · · How we work
Reform UK Donation Scandal and Poll Decline
A YouGov poll of 2,099 adults in Great Britain conducted between September 9 and September 10 found that 69 percent of respondents hold an unfavourable view of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, the highest level recorded in the tracker’s ten-year history. Within that, 57 percent view him very unfavourably, while only 24 percent express a favourable opinion, giving Farage a net favourability rating of –45. The poll’s margin of error places the result close to the previous month’s 67 percent unfavourable rating.
Background and Recent Developments
Reform UK’s annual party conference in Birmingham was intended to showcase its “first 100 days” agenda but was overtaken by allegations of illegal foreign donations. The controversy prompted the resignation of Farage’s chief of staff Dan Jukes and policy director James Orr. In the wake of the scandal, two crypto-billionaires—Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo—each contributed £36 million, together accounting for three-quarters of the total election-spending by all parties in the last general election.
Data and Statistics
- Unfavourable view of Farage: 69 % (YouGov).
- Very unfavourable view: 57 % (YouGov).
- Favourable view: 24 % (YouGov).
- Net favourability rating: –45 (YouGov).
- Total donations from Harborne and Delo: £72 million (£36 million each).
- Police investigation launched into alleged breaches of party-donation rules (Metropolitan Police).
Official Statements and Responses
Reform UK has said the £72 million will fund preparations for potential government office and asserts that the donors seek “nothing” in return. The Metropolitan Police confirmed a criminal investigation into possible illegal foreign funding after receiving complaints from Labour and the Liberal Democrats, based on video evidence obtained by Channel 4 and the investigative group Verbatim.