Nigel Farage—yes, the bloke who tried (and failed) seven times to become an MP before finally sneaking into Parliament this July—claims he and his Reform UK party are now the “real opposition.” With polls suggesting they’ve overtaken the Tories, it might be time to ask: do we actually want him in No.10? Here are five reasons you might think twice.
1. Nine Jobs and Counting
Farage has pulled in £571,585 in outside earnings since winning his Clacton seat. To put that in perspective, someone on a typical wage in that constituency would need to graft full-time for 19 years to earn the same amount. He’s basically beating the previous record-holder for most extracurricular cash—former Tory Attorney General Geoffrey Cox—by miles.
A Quick Rundown of Farage’s Earnings
- Top earner: £8k an hour flogging gold as a “tax-free” investment.
- Lowest pay: The measly £28 an hour he gets for being an MP.
And it’s not just the money. His role as a GB News host prompted him to skip a Commons vote on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill—because why deal with parliamentary drudgery when you can earn a quick buck on TV?
2. Fantasy Economics, Anyone?
Reform UK’s summer “manifesto” promised a £140 billion tax-slashing spree, prompting the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) to brand the numbers “extremely optimistic.” Carl Emmerson of the IFS says these policies would “almost certainly require substantial cuts” to public services. So, if you fancy a massive hole in the budget (and your local hospital), Farage might be your guy.
3. Cosying Up to Elon Musk
Farage has refused to condemn tech billionaire Elon Musk’s vile attacks on Jess Phillips, even as Musk called her a “witch.” Instead, Farage remains keen to cosy up to the Twitter/X boss—even after Musk briefly turned on him and hinted at Rupert Lowe taking over Reform UK. Now, Farage plans to jet off to Donald Trump’s inauguration (again) in hopes of repairing the relationship. Because nothing screams “statesman” like fawning over a billionaire who insults female MPs.
4. Dodgy Fundraising Tactics
The Reform leader is under scrutiny for reportedly encouraging donors to funnel cash into his party’s coffers—while standing in the House of Commons. Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper has asked Parliament’s Commissioner for Standards to investigate whether Farage broke the code of conduct by pitching a “fundraising appeal for his party’s coffers” in the Commons. Possibly not the best look for someone wanting to lead the country.
5. “Irrelevant” Convictions? No Big Deal!
Farage lost his cool on Sky News when pressed about James McMurdock, an MP in his party who served time for repeatedly kicking his ex-girlfriend. Court documents showed a far more violent crime than McMurdock initially claimed. When grilled, Farage dismissed it as “irrelevant” and insisted McMurdock is a “fine young man” who’s since turned out “very, very well.”
“I’m busy. We’re building a new political party… whether there are discrepancies or not, I don’t know.”
If that’s how he deals with serious allegations against his own MP, how would he handle a national scandal?
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