Nigel Farage is a British politician and broadcaster who has beenMember of Parliament (MP) forClacton and theLeader of Reform UK since 2024, having previously been its leader from 2019 to 2021 when it was called the Brexit Party. He also was the leader of theUK Independence Party (UKIP) from 2006 to 2009, and 2010 to 2016. Farage served as aMember of the European Parliament (MEP) forSouth East England from 1999 until theUK's withdrawal from the European Union (EU) in 2020.
A prominentEurosceptic since the early 1990s, Farage'sright-wing views on issues such asimmigration have attracted significant media attention throughout his political career. He is known for his distinctive character and style, including his personality, fashion, andsocial media presence, as well as his form ofBritish right-wing populism. In foreign policy, Farage is an outspoken supporter of US PresidentDonald Trump. In 2014 he spoke of admiringVladimir Putin while later disliking him personally amidst theRussian invasion of Ukraine which Farage condemned as "immoral, outrageous and indefensible".
After taking office as a UKIP MEP in 1999, Farage has often voiced opposition to the "euro project". His argument is that "a one-size-fits-all interest rate" cannot work for countries with structurally different economies, often using the example of Greece and Germany to emphasise contrast.[1] In 2011, Farage opposed the use ofbailouts and says that "buying your own debt with taxpayers' money" will not solve the problem and that, "if we do, the next debt crisis won't be a country ... it will be theEuropean Central Bank itself".[2][3] On the issue of welfare, Farage said in 2014 he wanted migrants to live in the UK for five years before being able to claim benefits, and for them to be ineligible for tax credits.[4] Farage has referred to theFinancial Conduct Authority as a "disaster" for the British banking sector and called for its abolition. He supports restoring regulatory power back to theBank of England.[5][6] Farage has also supported ending interest payments on Bank of England reserves.[7][8]
During the 1990s and 2010s, Farage supportedeconomic liberalism and has praised the policies ofMargaret Thatcher for reforming the British economy, stating in 2018 "It was painful for some people, but it had to happen."[9] More recently, Farage has shifted to call for a policy ofreindustrialisation, including the reintroduction of coal mining in Britain, andnationalisation of UK steel producing companies.[10] In 2025, Farage called for the re-opening of the blast furnaces of thePort Talbot Steelworks which had been closed down in September 2024 costing around 2,000 people in Port Talbot their jobs.[11][12] Farage also supports the renationalisation ofBritish Steel describing it as a "vital strategic asset" and has opposed British Steel's sale to the Chinese companyJingye Group.[13][14] During an appearance at the 2025Bitcoin Conference, Farage said he would cut thecapital gains tax on cryptocurrency from 24% to 10% and create a "Bitcoin digital reserve" within the Bank of England.[15][16][17] TheInstitute for Fiscal Studies, an independent economicthinktank, criticised the planned economic policies set out inOur Contract with You, Reform UK's manifesto before the2024 UK general election. They said the costs of tax cuts and spending increases and savings proposed "do not add up" and were based on "extremely optimistic assumptions".[18][19]
In 2015 he suggested that tax avoidance was caused by "punitive tax rates".[20] InOur Contract with You, the party pledged to increase thestarting income tax threshold from£12,570 to£20,000, which theInstitute for Fiscal Studies estimated would cost between£50 and£80 billion each year.[21][22][23] It also committed to cuttingcorporation tax from 25% to 20%, to subsequently drop even further to 15%,[24][25] as well as to increase theValue-Added Tax (VAT) threshold for businesses from£90,000 to£150,000.[26][27] In 2025, Farage called for the abolition ofinheritance tax describing it as a "really nasty tax and it hits people at the most unpleasant part of their lives."[28] As leader of Reform UK, Farage called for the introduction of aBritannia Card initiative in which those withNon-domiciled status can pay an annual £250,000 fee with proceeds going to British citizens on lower incomes in exchange for avoiding certain wealth taxes.[29]
During the campaigning before theUK voting system referendum of May 2011, which offered the two options of a continuation offirst-past-the-post voting or analternative vote system, Farage declared himself in favour of the latter, saying that a continuation of first-past-the-post would be a "nightmare" for UKIP, although he also said that AV would make little difference to UKIP's fortunes. The party's stance was decided by its central policy-making committee,[30] although Farage expressed a preference for theAV+ system as it "would retain the constituency link and then also the second ballot ensured there were no wasted votes".[31]
After the 2015 general election, in which UKIP took a much lower proportion of seats than votes, Farage called thefirst-past-the-post voting system (FPTP) "totally bankrupt".[32] He had said in 2011: "I completely lost faith in [FPTP]in 2005 whenBlair was returned with a 60 seat majority on 36 per cent of the vote, or 22 per cent if you factor in low turnout."[31] In 2019, Farage was a signatory to a cross-party declaration alongside theLiberal Democrats,Green Party of England and Wales and theScottish National Party which called for electoral reform.[33]
During a 2022 phone-in discussion onGB News, Farage said that he favoured abolishing theHouse of Lords stating "it's bloated, it's ludicrous, it's packed with hundreds and hundreds ofDavid Cameron's mates and Blair's mates" and acknowledged that while the hereditary system had flaws, hereditary peers had represented geographical diversity across the United Kingdom while saying that the current appointed peers are "all living in the same postcodes in central London."[34] Despite his calls toabolish the House of Lords, Farage wrote toKeir Starmer in August 2025 to request that Reform UK be allowed to nominate peers into the upper chamber, arguing this was needed to address "the democratic disparity" in the Lords.[35]
Farage opposed lowering the voting age to 16, arguing that thevoting age should be kept at an age where people are allowed to run as political candidates. Despite this, some political analysts have argued that Reform UK could benefit from lowering the voting age.[36][37] Farage has also called for the abolition ofpostal voting, often arguing that it has been a source of electoral fraud.[38][39] In their 2024 manifesto, Reform UK pledged to hold areferendum on establishingproportional representation within theHouse of Commons.[40][41]
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Farage has been sceptical regarding thescientific consensus on climate change and has opposed measures designed to tackle global warming.[42] In 2013, Farage criticisedDavid Cameron's policy onwind turbines, describing it as covering "Britain in ugly disgusting ghastly windmills".[43] An official energy policy document produced by UKIP while Farage was leader of the party stated that "UKIP strongly supports a clean environment and clean air", stressing that "coal-fired power stations must use clean technology to remove sulphur and nitrogen oxides, particulates and other pollutants".[43] In a speech made to the European parliament on 11 September 2013, Farage cited a news story that theArctic Sea ice cap had apparently grown from 2012 to 2013, saying that this was evidence of decades "of Euro-federalism combined with an increasing Green obsession", despite this being a minor milestone in a largertrend of sea ice decline.[44]
In a 2015 interview withSpiked magazine, Farage said: "I haven't got a clue whether climate change is being driven by carbon-dioxide emissions." He also stated that climate change "is like a religion. And you're demonised if you question it. Ostracised completely."[45]
A 2024 commentary piece byLondon School of Economics scholars Bob Ward and Pallavi Sethi noted that Farage had moderated his views on climate change by acknowledging it as an issue in the Reform UK manifesto for the2024 United Kingdom general election. During an interview withNick Robinson on the BBC'sPanorama, Farage disputed claims that he did not accept that there was a climate crisis, saying "I'm not arguing the science" on climate change but stated: "I do think that ever since the late 1980s that perhaps there has been a bit of hype around this, and that perhaps is wrong."[46][47] Farage and Reform have campaigned to scrapnet zero targets and focus on fast-tracking clean nuclear energy with newSmall Modular Reactors andNorth Sea gas and oil licences.[48]
In February 2025, Farage said that it was "absolute nuts" to callcarbon dioxide a pollutant.[49] He said that man-made emissions account for about 3% of the world's annual CO2 emissions.BBC Verify said that is misleading given that without human emissions, the amount of CO2 created would be broadly equal to the amount absorbed and so CO2 levels would remain constant. Nasa say that human activity has been responsible for about 33% of the total CO2 in the atmosphere.[50]
Farage has been a vocal critic ofnet zero and the policies undertaken by LabourSecretary of State for Energy Security and Net ZeroEd Miliband in particular. In 2025, he stated that Labour net zero policies had causedhigher energy prices and impacted on theUK's steel industry, arguing "We think closing down the steel industry is good because it means our national CO2 output is down – and all that happens is the plant closes inRedcar. The plant closes in south Wales. It reopens in India under lower environmental standards and then the steel is shipped back to us."[51] He has also referred to Labour's policies in government as "net-zero lunacy."[52]
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Farage has in the past taken an anti-prohibitionist position on recreational drugs. In an April 2014 phone-in interview hosted byThe Daily Telegraph he argued that thewar on drugs had been lost "many, many years ago", stating that "I hate drugs, I've never taken them myself, I hope I never do, but I just have a feeling that the criminalisation of all these drugs is actually not really helping British society." He argued in favour of aRoyal Commission on drugs, which would explore all avenues as to how to legislate most effectively and deal with their related criminal and public health problems, including the possibility of theirlegalisation.[53] In June 2024ITV News reported that Farage had "changed his mind on the idea of drug reform, particularly cannabis", with Farage saying drug reform in the United States "hasn't really made much difference".[54]
In April 2013 Farage said that thesmoking ban in enclosed public spaces was "silly and illiberal"; he recommended separate smoking areas along the lines of someGerman states. He said that banning things makes them more attractive to children, and stated that "Obesity is killing more people than smoking, you could ban chip shops, you could ban doughnuts. The point is we are big enough and ugly enough to make our own decisions".[55]
In 2012, Farage said theNHS might have to be replaced with aninsurance-based healthcare system. UKIP denied claims it wanted to privatise the NHS.[56][57][58] In 2015, while acknowledging he had tried and failed to persuade his party to back the policy, Farage said UK politicians would inevitably have to discuss insurance-based healthcare in the future.[59][60]
In his2015 book Farage reflected that, based on his experiences, "the NHS is so over-stretched that if you can afford private health care, you should take it, particularly for diagnostics and preventative medicine. In the NHS, the system is so battered and poorly run that unless you are really lucky, you will fall through the cracks. The NHS is, however, astonishingly good at critical care. But what testicular cancer taught me is that the NHS will probably let you down if you need screening, fast diagnosis and an operation at a time that suits you". He supports reform within the NHS, saying that its resources have become stretched due to increased immigration, and blaming Labour for high costs of new hospitals built through private finance initiatives.[61]
Farage said in 2015 that money which the NHS could have spent on treating taxpayers with serious conditions was instead being spent on recent immigrants withHIV. AYouGov poll found 50 per cent of those taking part supported Farage, with 37 per cent saying that he was scaremongering.[62]
In July 2025, Farage said he would never privatise healthcare in the United Kingdom and would maintain the NHS as free at the point of charge. He also said: "If we could get a more efficient better funding model, provided we give free care at the point of delivery, I am prepared to consider anything."[63] Farage has also suggested offering tax exemptions for frontline NHS medical staff to encourage more recruitment into the healthcare sector.[64]
In 2021, Farage expressed criticism of the British government's handling ofCOVID-19 lockdown policies, arguing they "cause more harm than good" and that only the elderly and most vulnerable should be isolated in order to provide "focused protection" from COVID-19.[65][66]
In May 2024, Farage suggested Britain should prepare to discuss leaving theWorld Health Organization in response to the WHO Pandemic Agreement and said it would infringe on the UK's political sovereignty by giving powers to the WHO to enforce lockdowns on countries and cede over Britain's control of vaccine stocks. The WHO in-turn said Farage was spreading misinformation about the Agreement.[67][68]
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Since the 2000s, Farage has campaigned to reform and restrict Britain's immigration and asylum policies.
In 2014, Farage as then leader ofUKIP argued that parts of Britain had become "unrecognisable" due to the impact of mass immigration over the past decade. He argued at the time that Britain should end free movement of people with the European Union and emulate an Australian-style points based immigration policy.[69] In 2015, he called for a five year freeze on all unskilled immigration into the UK and said he wanted to return to "normal" levels of immigration, citing a figure of between 20,000 and 50,000 migrants given work permits. He also argued Britain had "zero control" of its borders under EU membership.[69][70]
In 2024, Farage called for a complete freeze on "non-essential" immigration and immediate deportation of illegal immigrants.[71] In 2025, Farage called for Britain to abolishIndefinite leave to remain (ILR) and replace it with a new system in which migrants would have to reapply for a new visa every five years with stricter requirements for residency.[72] Farage also supported retracting ILR status from migrants already living in Britain in order to remove those who are using welfare, have committed crimes or entered the country illegally.[73]
In August 2014 Farage said that he supportedMuslim immigrants who can integrate into British society, but was against Muslim migrants who were "coming here to take us over", citingJohn Howard'sAustralia as a government to emulate in that regard.[74] He told aChannel 4 documentary in 2015 that there was a "fifth column" of Islamic extremists in the United Kingdom[75] and thatBritish Muslims have "split loyalties" between their country and their faith.[76] Farage has also argued that Muslim immigration to Britain and Europe has fuelled a rise inantisemitism and in an interview withLBC radio stated: "What's fuelling it is that there are many more Muslim voices, and some of those Muslim voices are deeply, deeply critical of Israel. In fact, some of them even question the right of Israel to exist as a nation."[77]
In a May 2024 interview withTrevor Phillips onSky News, Farage argued that a "growing number" of young Muslims in Britain reject or "loath" British values and suggested around 46% of British Muslim supportHamas in reference to a poll conducted by theHenry Jackson Society. He also accusedBoris Johnson andRishi Sunak of allowing migrants hostile to Britain into the country through lenient immigration policies.[78][79]
At a press conference in May 2024, Farage defended his statements in the Sky News interview by arguing that a number of British Muslims held "views that aren’t just un-British, but views that frankly are extremely anti-British" and said Britain is moving towards "sectarian politics with women completely excluded." He has also accused the Labour Party of promoting sectarian politics to appeal to radical Muslims.[80]
In 1994 Farage asked the former Conservative MPEnoch Powell toendorse UKIP and to stand for them, though Powell declined to do either.[81][82][83] Farage said in 2014 that the "basic principle" of Powell's "Rivers of Blood" speech was correct, stating: "What he was warning about was the large influx of people into an area, that change an area beyond recognition, there is tension."[84][85][86] Farage has also publicly spoken of his admiration for Powell, and has called him his political hero.[81][87][88]
In a 2014 interview on the LBC radio station, Farage said that he would feel "concerned" if a group ofRomanian men moved next door to him. When interviewerJames O'Brien inquired what would be the difference between Romanian men moving next door and a group of German children, in reference to Farage's German wife and children, Farage replied: "You know the difference."[89][90][91] He later expanded on this on the UKIP website, stating that "if we were able to operate a proper work permit scheme for Romanian nationals, with suitable checks, as recommended by UKIP, then nobody would need to be concerned if a group of Romanian nationals moved in next door to them."[92]
In 2013, Farage called for Britain and other Western countries to accept refugees from theSyrian civil war,[93] saying: "I think this country should honour the1951 declaration on refugee status ... the original ideas of defining what a refugee is were good ones and I think, actually, there is a responsibility on all of us in the free West to try and help some of those people fleeing Syria, literally in fear of their lives."[94] He later said that those refugees should be of thecountry's Christian minority, due to the existence of nearer Muslim-majority safe countries.[95] During the ensuingmigration crisis, Farage alleged that the majority of people claiming to be refugees were economic migrants, and that some wereIslamic State militants.[96]
In an interview in 2014, Farage suggested that people withHIV should be banned from moving to the UK.[97] During thetelevised debates in advance of the2015 election, he said that "You can come into Britain from anywhere in the world and get diagnosed with HIV and get theretro-viral drugs that cost up to £25,000 per year per patient... What we need to do is to put theNHS there for British people and families, who in many cases have paid into the system for decades."[98]
In a 2015 interview Farage stated that he had a "slight preference" for immigrants from countries such asIndia and Australia compared to those fromEastern Europe, as they "are in some ways more likely to speakEnglish, understandcommon law and have a connection with this country".[99]
On 24 September 2025, during an interview onLBC, Farage said migrants from some eastern European countries had beenpoachingcarp from ponds and eatingswans fromThe Royal Parks. The Royal Parks and theRSPCA said that no incidents of people killing or eating swans had been reported in its parks.[100][101][102]Full Fact found that though there are older reports ofEastern European migrants poaching carp, they could not identify any recent reports.[103] Claims about migrants poaching swans have existed for over two decades. In 2003, similar allegations were reported under the"Swan Bake" story in the Sun, which falsely claimed Eastern European asylum seekers were illegally poaching and barbecuing swans.[104] The problem of Eastern Europeans poaching carp had become so bad in 2012 that the Environment Agency had to set up anti-poaching patrols to prevent it.[105][106]
In 2013, Farage described the tone of the"Go Home" vans advertisements which recommended thatillegal immigrants should "go home or face arrest, which he saw as an attempt by the government to be seen to be "doing something" to appeal to UKIP voters, as "nasty" and "unpleasant".[107] During the2015 European migrant crisis, Farage said most of themigrants coming to Europe wereeconomic migrants,[108][109] and that thousands of Islamist terrorists were entering Europe among the migrants.[110][111][112] During theBrexit referendum campaign, he defended theBreaking Point poster, which was criticised by those on both sides of the referendum debate, withGeorge Osborne saying it had "echoes of literature used in the 1930s".[113][114][115] In 2025, Farage said that he supported amass deportation of illegal immigrants and argued that anyone caught entering Britain illegally should be deported. Farage has argued that the United Kingdom could see 'civil disorder' if illegal immigrants are not removed.[116][117]
Farage has previously distanced himself from a mass deportation policy, saying in September 2024 that it was a "political impossibility to deport hundreds of thousands of people" or support "mass deportations" more generally.[118][119] He criticisedRupert Lowe after he voiced support for the action in a speech, saying it was "a very grave, dark, and dangerous use of language".[120][121][122]
In August 2025, Farage and Reform UK shifted to support a mass deportation policy and announced a plan to deport approximately 600,000 illegal migrants, called 'Operation Restoring Justice', over the next five years if they were to win the next general election.[123][124] In September 2025, Farage said that a Reform government would end allsmall boat migrant crossings within two weeks of taking power. Shortly afterwards he changed his pledge to say that this would happen within two weeks of Reform passing relevant legislation.[125][126][127] When announcing Operation Restoring Justice, Farage said all illegal immigrants, including women and children, would be deported. He subsequently said the policy would be focused primarily on adult men and that women, children, and families would not be prioritised.[128][129][130] He later refined his stance again a few days later, by stating that women would also be deported, including toAfghanistan.[131] Farage also stated that his government would negotiate deals with countries likeEritrea,Iran, andAfghanistan to return illegal immigrants to them. A senior figure withinThe Taliban, who currently hold power in Afghanistan, said the country is "ready and willing" to work with Farage and accept Afghans deported from the country.[132][133]
In September 2025, Farage stated that Reform UK would scrapIndefinite leave to remain (ILR) enabling migrants to qualify for permanent settlement in Britain after five years with Reform chairman Zia Yusuf saying the party would rescind ILR retrospectively to migrants who had been granted it.[134][135][136]
In May 2025, responding to Starmer's press conference where he promised a significant fall in net migration by the end of the parliament, Farage accused Starmer of being "insincere" and warned he was "playing catch up" on the issue of immigration, stating: "I was using take back control in 2004. Keir Starmer has spent his whole career campaigning for free movement of people wholly unconcerned about this subject, so much so that their massive parliamentary majority was gained without immigration even being one of their five main priorities. Now, of course, he knows that amongst the great British public, this issue rates even higher than the health service. And he's just basically playing catch up with Reform."[137][138]
Farage has been a proponent ofBritish withdrawal from the European Union since the early 1990s and has been considered one of the most prominenteurosceptic politicians in British politics.[139] Farage campaigned for a Leave vote during the2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum and was named by media observers as a central figure in the ultimately successful campaign forBrexit during the vote.[140][141]
Farage was initially a member of theConservative Party but resigned in protest overJohn Major's government's signing of theTreaty on European Union atMaastricht in 1992. He has also said he voted for theGreen Party in1989 due to their eurosceptic policies at the time.[142][143] Farage later joined theAnti-Federalist League in 1992 which was the precursor ofUKIP and founded to oppose the Treaty.[144]
Farage supports British withdrawal from theEuropean Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). He has often argued that the ECHR prevents the British government from deporting illegal immigrants and foreign criminals.[145][146][147] He has said that, were he to enter government, he would seek to renegotiate theGood Friday Agreement to remove references to the ECHR.[148][149][150]
Farage stated that migrant exodus from Libya had been caused byNATO military intervention, approved by David Cameron andNicolas Sarkozy, in thecivil war in Libya.[151]
Farage has previously been supportive of theLiberal Party of Australia. In 2015, he praised the immigration policy of then-prime ministerTony Abbott.[152] Farage had frequently endorsed an "Australian-style" points system of immigration for the United Kingdom.[153][154] By 2018, Farage was more critical of the governing Liberal Party, saying "if in Australia there is not a greater connection with those who actually want patriotic values, for those who think that immigration needs looking at, for those who are really worried about energy prices, if the Liberal Party can't sort itself out, then something, a big shock will come along and replace it."[155]
In 2019, while speaking at theSydney Conservative Political Action Conference, Farage condemnedMalcolm Turnbull as a "snake" who "pretended to be a conservative", and praised his successorScott Morrison, who had ousted Turnbull in aleadership spill the year prior.[156] Some political commentators and journalists in Australia have compared Farage toOne Nation leaderPauline Hanson.[157][158] Farage has praised Hanson for drawing attention to immigration as an issue while also saying that he disagreed with some of her rhetoric and in 2022 described Hanson and the then opposition leaderPeter Dutton as "important voices" in Australian politics but argued that Australian conservatives needed to do more to inspire voters.[158][159]
Farage has personal contacts withNZ First leader and former deputy Prime MinisterWinston Peters, describing him as a friend and an influence.[160][161] Farage has also had contacts withACT New Zealand leaderDavid Seymour.[162]
During the2016 Austrian presidential election campaign, Farage said thatNorbert Hofer, theFreedom Party candidate, would call for a "Brexit style referendum" if he won. Hofer, however, ruled out a referendum and asked Farage not to interfere inAustria's internal politics.[163]
Farage initially endorsed Nicolas Dupont-Aignan ofDebout la France, another party of theAlliance for Direct Democracy in Europe, and later supportedMarine Le Pen of theNational Front, for the second round of the2017 French presidential election. Farage said that the basis for his endorsement of Le Pen was his belief that she would be more sympathetic to the UK following Brexit, in contrast to the pro-EuropeanEmmanuel Macron.[164] In 2017, Farage said Le Pen had successfully moderated her party from its previous image.[165]
In 2018 Farage described French President Emmanuel Macron as a "globalist" who wanted "many more powers to be centralised in Brussels, powers taken from the member states".[166]
Ahead of the2024 French legislative election, Farage praised Le Pen for making her party "electable" but was sceptical of her economic policies.[167]
Farage expressed praise for Italian Prime MinisterGiorgia Meloni in 2024, arguing that she had successfully transformed theBrothers of Italy party to broaden its appeal among Italian voters and suggested that Meloni and her party should serve as a model for Reform UK to win a future general election and form a government.[168] In an interview withGB News Farage suggested Britain should follow similar policies of Meloni's government on tackling illegal immigration.[169]
Farage has had previous connections to the populistFive Star Movement under its leadership ofBeppe Grillo.[170]
In 2020, Farage said US President Donald Trump was right to refer toCOVID-19 as the "Chinese virus", and also blamed China for the pandemic, saying "It really is about time we all said it. China caused this nightmare. Period."[171] In June 2020, he called tougher policies on China and boycotting "mass-produced Chinese rubbish", saying China showed its "true colours" during theCOVID-19 pandemic. He said competition with China was "the biggest geopolitical struggle since thefall of the Berlin Wall 30 years ago" and said Trump needed to be re-elected to stop China from "effectively taking over the world".[172] In April 2021, Farage accused New Zealand of having "sold its soul to China" and weakening theFive Eyes.[173] He criticised the use of facial recognition cameras byEssex Police, stating: "I don't want to live in China. I don't want to be tracked wherever I go."[174] In October 2024, after the British government announced it would hand over sovereignty of theChagos Islands to Mauritius, Farage said "our American allies will be furious and Beijing delighted".[175]
Farage spoke at a rally for the far-rightAlternative for Germany party in advance of the2017 German federal election, having been personally invited by the party's deputy leaderBeatrix von Storch.[176] By 2025, Farage had distanced himself from the AfD and did not publicly comment on the German election that year.[177]
Farage's views on Iran have changed during his political career. He previously supported non-interventionism on the issue and opposedsanctions onIran, and said in 2013 that he would not support an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, stating: "I do not support acts of aggression, even from countries that feel their existence is threatened".[178]
By 2018, Farage had changed his stance to becoming more strongly critical of the Iranian regime and endorsing regime change in the country. He condemnedLabour leaderJeremy Corbyn's "record for standing up and defending this hardline Islamist regime" and declared that regime change was "absolutely the right thing" in Iran.[179]
In 2024, Farage supported economic sanctions against Iran. He condemned theUnited Nations Security Council for holding a minute of silence forIranian PresidentEbrahim Raisi.[180] In November 2024, Farage called for the IranianIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation.[181] In 2025, Farage held a meeting withReza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran and in a post onTwitter expressed opposition to the Iranian government and reaffirmed his support for the British government to ban the IRGC.[182][183]
Farage supported Israeli airstrikes against Iran during theIran–Israel war arguing Israel had "no choice" in the situation.[184][185]
In June 2025, Farage referred to the Iranian government as a "bloody awful regime" and that he supported its removal, stating “I think the lovely Persian people deserve better, I really do."[186]
Farage denounced the2023 Hamas attack on Israel and in 2024 accused Starmer's government of not negotiating for the release of British hostage Emily Damari. He has also accused the Labour Party and the British left of "pandering to Hamas and the pro-Gaza as a side of the argument" in order to win sectarian support from extremist Muslims.[187]
In May 2024, Farage opposed calls by theInternational Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant toPrime Minister of Israel,Benjamin Netanyahu following the actions of Israel in theGaza war, arguing "there is no moral equivalence between a terrorist organisation and the prime minister of a country that is going after those terrorists to try and stop October 7th from happening again."[180] On 21 November 2024, Farage again criticised the ICC's decision to issue arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu andYoav Gallant, saying the ICC "loses more credibility with each day that passes".[188]
In February 2025, Farage said Trump's plan to "take over Gaza" is "very appealing" and that "I love that notion".[189]
In June 2025, Farage denied that there is agenocide going on in Gaza and said that he would not support suspending weapons exports to Israel.[190] He asserted, "I think we have to get back to the fundamental fact that what happened on October 7 [2023] was the most appalling violence committed by an organisation who said they will do it again and again and again."[190] In July 2025, Farage stated that he opposed recognising aPalestinian state while Hamas exists, arguing "to do it now is wrong. It rewards terrorism."[191]
Following the decision undertaken byKeir Starmer's Labour government to officially recognise theState of Palestine in September 2025, Farage spoke with Israeli foreign ministerGideon Sa'ar in which he condemned Starmer's decision.[192]
In 2014, Farage said though he did not approve of him "politically" or "as a human being", the world leader he most admired "as an operator" wasPutin, praising theRussian intervention in the Syrian civil war as "brilliant".[193][194][195] Later, in 2015, he said about Putin that "The European Union, and the West, view Putin as the devil. They want to view Putin as the devil. I'm not saying I want take him around for tea and meet mum on Sunday afternoon ... But the point is, on this bigger overall battle [againstISIS inSyria] we need to start recognising we're on the same side".[196]
Farage accused the EU of pursuing "imperialist, expansionist" ambitions in Ukraine, and of having "blood on its hands", by allegedly encouraging the 2014Revolution of Dignity that toppled PresidentViktor Yanukovych after he refused to sign theEuropean Union–Ukraine Association Agreement.[197][198] He said he did not support Russia'sannexation of Crimea but that EU leaders had been "weak and vain", adding: "if you poke theRussian bear with a stick, it will respond".[199] In June 2024, Farage said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was "immoral, outrageous and indefensible". He denied the accusation byLiberal Democrat leaderEd Davey that he was an "apologist or supporter of Putin", and clarified that he said he admired Putin "as a political operator, because he's managed to take control of running Russia".[200][201] In a 2024 column forThe Daily Telegraph Farage affirmed his belief that the West had made foreign policy errors towards Russia in the run-up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine but said "I am not and never have been an apologist or supporter of Putin."[202]
In a 2025 interview withBloomberg News, Farage hardened his position towards Putin referring to the Russian President as "not a rational man" and "a very bad dude" in response to accusations from opponents that he was soft on Russia. He furthermore added that if elected Prime Minister he would support shooting down Russian military aircraft if they attack NATO airspace and donating frozen Russian financial assets to Ukraine.[203][204][205]
Farage has argued that theRussian invasion of Ukraine was a consequence of European political expansion into the region and that a diplomatic solution is needed to stop the conflict while also condemning the invasion itself and arguing that Ukraine should be free to chooseNATO membership and that British armed forces should be sent to Ukraine as part of a multi-national peacekeeping force once both sides agree to a ceasefire. In February 2022, Farage said that the invasion of Ukraine was "Aconsequence of EU and NATO expansion ... It made no sense to poke theRussian bear with a stick. These are dark days for Europe".[206] Writing in an opinion column forThe Daily Telegraph in June 2024, Farage said that the invasion was "of course" the fault of Putin and condemned the war, writing "As a champion of national sovereignty, I believe that Putin was entirely wrong to invade the sovereign nation of Ukraine" while also repeating that the West had "provoked" the situation.[207] He said that theenlargement of NATO gave Putin an excuse for invading because he could exploit the situation to tell the Russian people "they're coming for us". Farage was criticised for these statements by Labour and Conservative politicians and was accused of pushing theKremlin's narrative.[208][209]
In March 2025, Farage suggested thatVolodymyr Zelenskyy, thePresident of Ukraine bore responsibility for theheated exchanges between himself, J.D. Vance and Donald Trump in the Oval Office regarding discussions on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[210] However, Farage also said that Trump was giving too much ground to Russia's side onpeace negotiations.[211]
Farage has called for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine and withdrawal of Russian forces, arguing that a Ukrainian military victory is impossible in the long-run and that continued Western aid will only serve to prolong the conflict and civilian deaths. He argued that concessions would be required from both sides and that Western governments should give Ukraine security assurances as part of a peace deal.[212][213] He has saidNATO membership for Ukraine would be "essential" to form a peace agreement and that Ukraine should be allowed to join NATO should the Ukrainian people vote to do so.[214][215] Farage also distanced himself from earlyceasefire proposals from Trump which he judged as too favourable to Putin and argued Ukraine "needs to get proper security guarantees" from the West to ensure an end to hostilities.[216][217] Farage was also critical of Trump's commentscalling Zelenskyy a "dictator" during an interview onGB News, asserting "Zelensky is not a dictator."[218][219]
In 2025, Farage suggested that the Trump administration could have struck a deal similar to theGaza peace plan between Ukraine and Russia but argued this was unlikely to happen due to Putin's behaviour.[220][221] In an interview with Bloomberg News, Farage toughened his position on opposing Russian hostilities against Ukraine by stating he would support sending frozen Russian assets to Ukraine and that Russian fighter planes should be shot down if they intentionally violate NATO airspace. He also said that if were to become Prime Minister, he would support deploying British troops in Ukraine as part of a NATO andUnited Nations peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.[222][223][224] He later opposed a proposal for a halving of the Ukrainian military in the Trump administration's November 2025 Ukraine peace plan, stating that he was waiting for a Ukrainian counter-proposal.[225]
Farage has collaborated with theSweden Democrats and theDanish People's Party (DPP) in the European Parliament during his tenure as an MEP. In 2016, he addressed the national conference of the Danish People's Party at the invitation of the then DDP deputy spokesmanSøren Espersen in order to advise the DPP on an EU referendum policy.[226][227]
Farage has said: "I think we need a complete re-appraisal of who Saudi Arabia are, what our relationship with them is, and stop extremist talk turning the minds of young, male Muslims in this country."[228] In an interview with Fox News Channel, Farage criticised the West's reluctance to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for theassassination of Jamal Khashoggi and the kingdom's decades-long propagation of radicalWahhabism, while stressing the importance of British and American economic and security ties to the Kingdom.[229]
Farage accusedRecep Tayyip Erdoğan'sTurkey of "blackmailing" the EU over the European migrant crisis and Turkey's proposedEuropean membership.[230]
Farage has cited Canadian conservative politicianPreston Manning as a personal influence and has said he aims to replicate the electoral success of Manning's formerReform Party of Canada which replaced theProgressive Conservatives as the largest right-leaning party in Canada. Political journalists in Canada and the UK have drawn parallels between the two leaders and their parties.[231][232][233]
In American politics, Farage has typically supportedRepublican Party candidates and is considered an ally ofDonald Trump.
In 2015, Farage has compared theTea Party movement to his then party UKIP, stating that they have their "own share of oddballs and mavericks who sometimes espouse pretty extreme stuff, but they also have truly impressive politicians". He was critical of thereligious right, who he believed had "hijacked" the Republican Party, and referred toSarah Palin as "downright scary".[234][235]
Ahead of the2016 presidential election, Farage said in a May 2016 interview withRobert Peston that whilst he had reservations on the views and character of 2016Republicanpresidential candidateDonald Trump he would vote for Trump if he were a US citizen to preventHillary Clinton becoming president.[236] Farage had endorsedRand Paul prior toTrump's presidential campaign. In July 2016, Farage attended theRepublican convention in Cleveland.[237][238][239] In August 2016 Farage met Trump for the first time at a campaign fundraiser inJackson, Mississippi[240] having been invited to the event by staffers forMississippi governorPhil Bryant while attending the GOP convention.[240] Trump asked Farage to speak at the rally and introduced him to the crowd as "Mr. Brexit".[240][241]
Farage supported Trump's victory in the 2016 election. He was critical of the outgoing administration ofBarack Obama,[242] referring to Obama as "that Obama creature" which caused controversy in the British media and was criticised by British Labour MPJohn Woodcock.[243][242][244] Farage was the first British politician to speak to Trump after his election.[245]
In November 2016, after becomingpresident-elect, Trump publicly suggested, via Twitter post, that the UK government name Farage asBritish ambassador to the United States. Trump's expression of a preference for a foreign nation's ambassador was "a startling break with diplomatic protocol" that was unprecedented in recent US history.[246] The then-Foreign SecretaryBoris Johnson and the British government rejected the suggestion.[246][247]
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In May 2018 Farage was an advocate for US President Donald Trump to receive theNobel Peace Prize on the basis of his attempt to bringbetter diplomatic relations betweenNorth Korea andSouth Korea as well asbetter diplomatic relations between North Korea and theUnited States. As a member of the European Parliament at the time, Farage expressed his desire to begin an official petition for Trump to receive the award.[248] Farage endorsedRoy Moore in theUnited States Senate special election in Alabama.[249] Afternumerous allegations of sexual misconduct were made against Moore,[250] Farage publicly expressed his scepticism over the allegations.[251] In May 2018, he expressed regret for having backed Moore, stating, "I should have thought about the whole thing far more deeply than I did, and it was a mistake."[252]
In July 2018 Farage headlined a fundraiser forLou Barletta, the Republican nominee in the2018 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania.[253]
In 2020, Farage said he would volunteer as a speaker forTrump's 2020 campaign rallies.[254] He was spotted attending Trump rallies in states such asMichigan,Pennsylvania andArizona .[255][256][257]
After the day of the election, Farage conceded that Trump might have lost "fair and square", but said "Donald Trump loses the odd battle, but he doesn't lose wars. He keeps fighting until he wins them".[258] He went on to echofalse claims of fraud in the election, saying the election was being stolen throughfraudulent mail-in votes andballot harvesting.[259] Farage condemned theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack committed by supporters of Trump and wrote onTwitter “Storming Capitol Hill is wrong. The protesters must leave.”[260]
In 2021 Farage undertook a six-week tour of the United States organised by theconservative groupFreedomWorks in which he addressed Republicangrassroots audiences across the country.[261][262]
In April 2023, it was reported that Farage highly rated USRepublican politicianRon DeSantis and that Farage thought DeSantis had "done a great job inFlorida", the state he was governing.[263]
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On 31 May 2024, after Trump was unanimously found guilty by a jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records to commit election fraud, Farage defended him in an interview withSky News.[264][265] In May 2024, Farage said that he would not be standing in the 2024 general election and would focus on assisting with Trump's campaigning for the2024 United States presidential election instead.[266] On 3 June, he reversed this decision, announcing his intention to stand as MP for Clacton as leader of the Reform Party.
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In July 2024, Farage condemned theattempted assassination of Donald Trump.[267]
On 17 December 2024, Farage said the American businessman and political figureElon Musk was in talks about donating to Reform UK.[268] It was reported the donation could be in the region of$100 million (£78 million).[268] On 5 January 2025, Musk called for Farage to be replaced as leader of Reform UK. Farage suggested that this was due to a disagreement over Musk's support for the far-right activistTommy Robinson.[269] On 7 January, Farage said that he aimed to "mend fences" with Musk.[270] Farage has frequently described Musk as a "hero".[271]
In April 2025, Farage said that while he supported Trump he personally disagreed with Trump's policies on tariffs and a desire for the U.S. to make Canada its 51st state. Farage said: "I'm a friend of his, and our interests are similar, but they're not symmetrical."[272]
| This sectionneeds expansion with: details on defence policy, including conscription; racism; government spending efficiency/british doge; benefits generally and for those with disabilities; free speech, including relating to Lucy Connolly, Jamie Raskin, and Graham Linehan; gambling/betting regulation; housing and the housing crisis; the2025 British anti-immigration protests,Operation Raise the Colours, and theUnite the Kingdom rally; the2024 Southport stabbings, including misinformation and subsequent rioting; political violence, including Charlie Kirk, Jo Cox and Brendan Cox, David Amess, Lucy Connolly, the attempted killing of Donald Trump, and Southport riots; far-right individuals and groups, such as Tommy Robinson, Patriotic Alternative, Gerard Batten, UKIP after his departure, and Steve Bannon;voter fraud withpostal voting; theEquality Act 2010; employment rights, including the Employment Rights Bill (2025); and Reform UK’s plans to cut social security and public spending by £140 billion. You can help byadding to it.(September 2025) |
In 2014 Farage said that it was UKIP policy for handguns in the UK to be legalised and licensed, describing the current legislation, brought in after theDunblane school massacre, as "ludicrous".[273] He also said in 2014 that there was no link between responsible handgun ownership and gun crime.[274]
In September 2025, Farage's previous comments in 2014 were referred to byLiberal Democrats leaderEd Davey who accused him of wanting to roll back British gun laws and spark "mass shooting" drills in British schools. Farage responded on LBC Radio by denying these claims. He argued that his quotes had been about shooting ranges and said: "The Olympic team should not have to go to Calais to practice, is what I said… (in) every other country in the world you have secure gun clubs where people can shoot."The Independent newspaper noted in 2025 that Farage has not expressed any policies on gun ownership as Reform UK leader.[275][276]
Farage is opposed to thedeath penalty.[277]
In November 2024, Farage said that the UK Parliament should debate imposing stricter limits on abortion.[278] Farage was a speaker at the 2024National Conservatism Conference (NatCon), which was backed byADF International (UK), an anti-abortion organisation.
In May 2025, Farage described himself aspro-choice on the matter of abortion but said it was 'utterly ludicrous' for abortion to be allowed up to 24 weeks.[279]
In October 2025, it was announced that the British academic and anti-abortion activistJames Orr had been appointed as a senior advisor to Farage.[280]
When asked onLBC in 2014, aftersame-sex marriage was legalised in England and Wales, whether he supported gay marriage, he answered that he supportedcivil partnerships for gay couples but did "not support the idea ofsame-sex marriages, all the while we're under the auspices of theEuropean Court of Human Rights".[281][282] He added that he would not campaign to abolish same-sex marriage.[281] In 2025, Farage reaffirmed his beliefs that although he thought it was "wrong" to introduce marriage equality, he thought it was a "settled issue" he would not seek to overturn and argued same-sex marriage is now British law.[283][284]
When questioned by atransgender caller during a 2024 phone-in discussion onBBC Radio 5 about his views on trans rights, Farage said he believed in transgender rights but added that the rights of women to single-sex spaces should be "respected" and that individuals who have gone through male puberty should not compete in women's sports.[285]
Farage has said that Margaret Thatcher's time asPrime Minister of the United Kingdom "was one I think of real advancement for gay people in society." According toPinkNews, Farage has defended past comments made by Boris Johnson in which he referred to gay people as "tank-topped bum boys".[286] AfterAnn Widdecombe drew criticism for endorsingconversion therapy and thatscience might produce a way to change a person'ssexuality in the future, Farage defended her, saying her views on homosexuality were a "matter of conscience" and criticised those who condemned her remarks as having "hounded" her.[287][288]
In August 2025, Reform UK announced Vanessa Frake, a formerprison governor, would be their new justice adviser. Shortly afterwards, she said there should not be a blanket ban ontransgender women being sent towomen's prisons and that they should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.[289][290][291] Farage initially supported Frake over her stance on the issue. However, the next day, after it became controversial among party members and faced criticism, including fromJ.K. Rowling, he said he had "never supported men in women's prisons".[292][293] Subsequently, it was reported that Reform UK members would hold a vote to call for transgender women to be excluded from female prisons at their upcomingparty conference.[294][295]
In September 2025, Labour MPNadia Whittome accused Farage of "vile homophobia" after he said "the most stable relationships tend to be between men and women". The statements were made when, during a press conference over the formerlyConservative MPDanny Kruger joining Reform, Farage was asked about past comments on the subject made by Kruger, who had told aNational Conservatism Conference that marriage between men and women was "the only basis for a safe and successful society".[296][297]
In 2014, Farage said thatMuslim immigrants to the UK and Europe have caused a rise inantisemitism.[298] In February 2025, during his show onGB News, Farage made comments about the formerLabour Party leaderJeremy Corbyn in which he suggested Corbyn promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories. Corbyn subsequently said Farage's comments had been "defamatory" claims that he believed in "anantisemitic conspiracy theory". He initiated legal action against Farage, who said he stood by his comments.[299][300][301] Farage has been accused of usingantisemitic tropes when describingGeorge Soros,[302]Grant Shapps,[303][304] and the "Jewish lobby".[305][306][307]
In 2019, theBoard of Deputies of British Jews andMuslim Council of Britain criticised Farage following an investigation byThe Guardian for engaging in interviews withAlex Jones onInfoWars in 2009 and 2018 that included phrases and themes common inantisemitic conspiracy theories such as "globalists" and "new world order."[308] Farage later rejected the accusations.[309]
In March 2024, Farage said that Britain's foreign policy, public services and the education system held political biases against Israel and Jews during a discussion ofGB News and accused British police forces of "two-tier" policing by tolerating antisemitic rhetoric at pro-Palestine demonstrations.[310][311]
In September 2025, Farage attended a march against antisemitism in London.[312]
In September 2025,Zia Yusuf's X account liked an antisemitic post aboutRobert Jenrick's wife and children, who are Jewish. Farage responded to calls to sack Yusuf by declining them. He stated the incident was "one little mistake" and said a member of Yusuf's team had liked the post.[313][314][315]
In December 2018, Farage distanced himself from anti-Islam campaignerTommy Robinson and subsequently resigned fromUKIP after the party's leaderGerard Batten appointed Robinson as an advisor.[316][317] In January 2025, Farage said he would not support Robinson joining Reform UK.[318][319]
Following theUnite the Kingdom rally organised by Robinson on 13 September 2025 as part of the ongoing2025 British anti-immigration protests, Farage criticised violence against police officers by attendees at the rally as "horrible" whilst also stating "the vast majority who caught the train to London for the day were good, ordinary, decent people."[320]
Farage expressed support for the2025 British anti-immigration protests, arguing that protests against migrant hotels were needed to "put pressure on local councils to go to court" to try to block other hotels from housing asylum seekers.[321][322] Farage also supported theOperation Raise the Colours campaign.[323]
In November 2013, Farage said he supported banning the face veil in schools, airports and banks.[324] Previously, in 2010, Farage called for a ban in public places and public buildings similar to the French and Belgian bans.[325][326][327] In June 2025, newly elected Reform MPSarah Pochin used her debut atPrime Minister's Questions to ask whether the government would consider banning theburqa, citing public safety concerns. This provoked a rebuke from Reform UK's chairman,Zia Yusuf, while several Reform MPs openly supported a ban.[328][329][330][331][332] Yusuf subsequently resigned, stating he no longer believed working for a Reform government was a good use of his time.[333][334][335] Yusuf later rejoined the party following discussions with Farage and subsequently stated that he also supported a ban on face coverings in public spaces and affirmed it would be a Reform UK policy.[336][337][338]
In 2025, Farage called for theMuslim Brotherhood to be banned in the United Kingdom and said a Reform UK government would proscribe it as a terrorist group.[339][340]
In January 2018, Farage, who said he believes in equal rights for men and women, also said that he thinks men find it difficult to identify as feminists because it is awkward, as part of his explanation for why he does not identify as a feminist.[341] In June 2024, he said the misogynist influencerAndrew Tate was an "important voice" for young men, while also stating that Tate had gone "over the top" and that he had said some "pretty horrible" things.[342]
On 8 January 2025, Farage voted along with all other Reform UK MPs for a new national inquiry intorape gangs. The bill was lost by 364 votes to 111, a majority of 253 against the amendment.[347]
In August 2025, Farage stated that Reform UK would launch and fund their own independent inquiry into the grooming gang scandals and described them as racist attacks against white children by Pakistani rapists. Farage also criticised the Conservative Party for not fully launching a national inquiry during their time in power and said: "The establishment has failed the victims of grooming gangs on every level."[348][349]
On 20 June 2025, Farage voted "No" to theTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.[350]
Farage has accused teaching unions of "poisoning the minds of young people".[351] In 2015 he complained about being targeted by some trade union-funded activists.[352] UKIP sent a spy that year to obtain information on one of these groups. Protesters said the spy encouraged activists to deface posters, heckle meetings, behave badly, abuse Farage, as well as commit other criminal acts in an attempt to discredit the group in the public eye.[352]
In 2013, Farage referred toMargaret Thatcher as a "great patriotic lady" and said that he was the only politician "keeping the flame ofThatcherism alive".[353][354] In 2014 he said that UKIP was not a "new Thatcherite party", stating: "Thatcherism was of its time, 40 years ago, to deal with a specific set of problems. For half the country it benefited them, for the other half it didn't."[354]
Farage has never been coy about his admiration for the one-time Tory member for Wolverhampton South West, whom he has described as his political hero. When Powell visited his sixth-form college in 1982, the teenage Farage was, in his words, "dazzled… into awestruck silence".
Few politicians had dared to praise him in public until 2008, when Mr Farage, who at the time had been leader of UK Independence Party for two years, named him as his political hero
The British head of Europol has accused Nigel Farage of making the "false" and "alarmist" statement the European Union's migration and refugee policies have allowed 5,000 terrorists to get into Europe. In fact, explained Rob Wainwright, Europol believed 5,000 European Muslims have gone to Syria and Iraq but "by no means" had all of them returned to Europe.
Mr Farage said voters must consider the security threat posed by the migrant crisis when considering the referendum on whether to leave or stay in the EU. He said police agencies had already estimated that 5,000 jihadists have entered Europe among the migrants in recent years and months, while there is a risk of more migrant-related crime.
Wainwright recently accused Nigel Farage of making false claims after the Ukip leader claimed EU migration policy had brought 5,000 Isis-inspired terrorists to Europe.
Trump's close UK supporter Nigel Farage backed Trump's claims the election was being stolen but, when pressed to produce evidence, he was unable to do so, saying the evidence was "so new it has not yet come to light".
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