Key facts
- Nigel Farage is employing a "victim card" strategy, portraying Reform UK as targeted by "the Establishment."
- Farage resigned his parliamentary seat to contest a by-election in Clacton, facing minimal opposition from major parties.
- Reform UK is also competing in a by-election for Greater Manchester mayor, aiming for strong first-preference votes.
- The party criticizes changes to the voting system in mayoral contests as a "stitch-up" designed to hinder them.
- Farage is facing scrutiny over his finances and his response to the death of former spokesperson Ann Widdecombe.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, is employing a strategy of playing the "victim card" as he faces two significant by-elections and mounting scrutiny. Farage is railing against "the Establishment," arguing that his party and supporters are unfairly targeted and not kept safe from harm.
This approach comes as Farage prepares for a by-election in Clacton, which he has framed as a "people versus the establishment" contest. In a move that surprised rivals, Farage resigned his House of Commons seat to contest this election. Major parties are reportedly refusing to field candidates against him, leaving satirist Count Binface as his likely main opponent.
Reform UK also sees the upcoming Greater Manchester mayoral election as a key battleground. While the party aims for strong first-preference votes, a recent switch to a preferential voting system is viewed by Reform UK as a disadvantage that could hinder their chances of victory, potentially leading to a "progressive" vote split that favors Labour. Party officials suggest that even if they don't win on second preferences, securing strong first-preference results would allow them to amplify claims of unfair play.
Farage's strategy also involves criticizing the ethics system governing political donations, particularly after resigning as an MP and highlighting allegations of undeclared financial support from wealthy individuals, including a £5 million donation from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. The party's chairman, Lee Anderson, has called the voting system changes a "cynical" move by Labour and an "establishment stitch-up."
However, some political observers and former politicians suggest that the "establishment-against-Nigel" narrative may be outdated and that the party needs to articulate more concrete policy proposals. The effectiveness of this strategy, particularly online, is acknowledged by some, but its broader appeal across the country remains a question.