Nigel Farage has been unusually quiet lately, but on Saturday he broke cover to launch a plan to use the Royal Navy to stop small boats crossing the Channel. The Reform UK leader's first press conference in months came as he faces questions about his finances and an undeclared £5 million gift from a crypto tycoon.
Farage's approval ratings plummet
Farage's personal approval ratings are now the lowest since he took the party's top job in 2024. With Labour leading in the polls after more than a year, inaction was not an option, so he returned to his safe space of small boats policy, where he has long received applause at rallies.
The press conference, held in a London hotel, saw Farage appear alongside Zia Yusuf, his self-described "Shadow Home Secretary," to announce the navy would be involved. A 21-page document outlined the plan, but it lacked details on how the French and Belgians might react to British ships dropping people on foreign beaches without permission.
Questions over finances
The BBC asked if the plan was a diversion from his and Reform's finances. Farage said, "Oh, questions about money could go on for years, you know what I mean?" He also confirmed reports of secret talks to return as Reform leader before the general election but insisted he had "no intention" of returning at the time.
The Q&A was cut short, with The Mirror, The Guardian, and The Times excluded, though his former advisor Raheem Kassam was allowed a question. Shortly before the press conference, it emerged that the Parliamentary standards commissioner is investigating an allegation that Farage's deputy, Richard Tice, failed to declare an interest.
Farage will be pleased with how it went, as he spent more time talking about boats than his finances. However, the wait for a chance to quiz him continues.
