Nigel Farage’s campaign for Reform UK faces early turmoil as controversies involving a candidate’s inflammatory remarks and a convicted fraudster’s involvement threaten to overshadow his political message. Here’s the full story.
No Smooth Return
Nigel Farage’s return to the political limelight as the leader of Reform UK has not gone as smoothly as his supporters might have hoped.
Campaign Controversies
Three weeks into the campaign, Farage has faced significant controversies, threatening to overshadow his political agenda.
Heritage Comments
The former UKIP leader has, just hours after dealing with his comments widely perceived to have been casting aspersions on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s heritage, had to contend with public scrutiny over his association with a convicted fraudster and deal with the fallout from inflammatory remarks made by one of his party’s candidates.
Candidate’s Nazi Remark
The first significant setback for Farage came when the BBC revealed that Ian Gribbin, a Reform UK candidate for Bexhill and Battle, suggested that the UK would have been better off having the country capitulated to the Nazis in the second world war.
Hitler Neutrality Comment
Posting on the website Unherd, Gribbin wrote, “Britain would be in a far better state today had we taken Hitler up on his offer of neutrality… but oh no Britain’s warped mindset values weird notions of international morality rather than looking after its own people.”
D-Day Timing
As if having a candidate’s comments come to light in which he suggested that Britain should have surrendered to fascism just days after D-Day commemorations, Gribbin was not yet finished.
Churchill Critique
Gribbin wrote in a separate post on the same website, “In Britain specifically we need to exorcise the cult of Churchill and recognise that in both policy and military strategy, he was abysmal.”
Widespread Condemnation
Unsurprisingly, these comments have drawn widespread condemnation and raised serious questions about the candidate’s views and the party’s vetting process.
Misogynistic Remarks
However, more was still to come. It was later revealed that Gribbin had also described women as the “sponging gender” who should be deprived of healthcare until their life expectancies matched those of men.
“Sponging Gender” Comment
Gribbin wrote, “Men pay 80% of tax – women spend 80% of tax revenue. On aggregate as a group you only take from society. Less complaining please from the ‘sponging gender’.”
Praising Putin
As the pièce de résistance of Gribbin’s comments, the Reform UK candidate also wrote praising Vladimir Putin, perhaps unsurprisingly given his tacit acceptance of fascism.
Pro-Putin Sentiment
Just weeks before Russia illegally invaded Ukraine, Gribbin wrote that Putin “understands the bonds that create more stable societies; the hypocrisy of the West is preposterous as we stare in the face daily the enormous economic equalities created by our deluded neo liberal ideas.”
BBC Criticism
In an attempt to defend Gribbins’s comments, a Reform UK spokesperson stated, “Through offence archaeology, the BBC has found that Mr Gribbin has made a series of comments about a number of subjects. They were written with an eye to inconvenient perspectives and truths. That doesn’t make them endorsements, just arguing points in long-distance debates.
“Tongue in Cheek”
They added, “As for the feminism point, his tongue is so firmly in his cheek one should be able to spot it from 100 yards.”
Fraudster Association
Further complicating matters for Reform UK, Farage has been seen on the campaign trail with George Cottrell, a former aide convicted of wire fraud in the United States.
Cottrell’s Criminal Past
Known as “Posh George,” Cottrell was arrested in 2016 and served eight months in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to money laundering and wire fraud.
Christian Forgiveness
Farage has downplayed Cottrell’s criminal past, emphasising the principles of Christian forgiveness, stating, “If people get convicted or do something wrong, well, they have another chance in life to go on and prove themselves.”
Tumultuous Start
Despite Farage’s apparent beneficent attitude of forgiveness, the media has not been kind to Farage in light of these controversies.
Media Scrutiny
His campaign has got off to a remarkably tumultuous start, with journalists questioning the decision-making and vetting processes within Reform UK.
Resilient Farage
However, neither of these controversies will likely sink the seemingly unsinkable Nigel Farage, whose sudden return to the UK political scene has been as unedifying as unexpected.
Debate and Limelight
Whatever hiccups Reform UK may encounter along the road to the general election, every debate over the party is perfect for Farage, keeping him as it does in the limelight.
Farage’s Influence
Despite Reform UK’s attempts to appear as a real political force, Nigel Farage is the driving force behind whatever successes the party may have.
Uncertain Future
It remains to be seen whether his sheer force of personality alone will be enough to overshadow some of the more questionable figures Farage chooses to associate with.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Michael Tubi.