The family of murdered teenager Henry Nowak appealed for his tragic death not to be used to fuel division and hatred, but Nigel Farage's intervention shows their plea fell on deaf ears. During Prime Minister's Questions, the Reform UK leader railed against a so-called "two-tier justice system," suggesting anti-racism measures led to police handcuffing the 18-year-old as he lay dying.
Makerfield By-Election Context
While Farage's complaints targeted Southampton, where protests outside police headquarters turned violent, the real focus is Makerfield in northwest England. This constituency, 96.7% white working class and heavily pro-Brexit, is the site of a pivotal by-election. Unlike nearby Gorton and Denton, where Greens recently won, Makerfield has a tiny Asian population of just 1.2%.
Reform UK activists are actively raising the Nowak case on doorsteps, unsettling Labour MPs who thought Andy Burnham's victory was assured. Polling expert Lord Hayward told The Independent: "Labour MPs are right to be nervous; this by-election will be very tight. The Nowak case will certainly have an impact."
Farage's Strategy
Farage's approach echoes the 2016 Brexit referendum, where elites ignored latent public anger. He now exploits that anger with a "never-mind-the-consequences" attitude. He refused to condemn violence at the Southampton protest, attended by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, and warned of more protests. Farage has a history of not condemning riots, including those after the Southport stabbings and Epping violence over migrant hotels.
For populists, anger and division are weapons; tragedies are tools to be weaponised. To win Makerfield, Farage must be the "Mr Angry" figure. Reform's biggest threat is a vote split with the even more right-wing Restore Britain, led by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe. Farage needs to galvanise his core 25-30% vote to support candidate Robert Kenyon, despite Kenyon's controversial social media history involving misogyny, Covid conspiracies, and transgender slurs.
Farage relished the catcalls he received in the Commons and Prime Minister Keir Starmer's obvious disgust. Starmer accused Farage of "pretending" to care about the Nowak family, but Reform has run a misleading social media campaign against Tory leader Kemi Badenoch over the case. Starmer's public thanks to Badenoch for her "measured approach" was another gift to Farage.
The sad lesson is that reasonable words often fail against the "cold fury" Farage encourages, which resonates with millions.
