Sky News has broken its silence following Nigel Farage's claims that the news organisation has been "hounding" his daughter. The Reform UK leader stepped back as MP for Clacton-on-Sea on Tuesday, July 7, forcing a by-election in the coastal Essex town.
Farage's Exit and Allegations
Farage's resignation comes amid a row over his financial support. The Sunday Times reported that he had not declared benefits, including staff and security, received from long-time ally George Cottrell. He also faces questions about a £5 million gift from Christopher Harborn in early 2024, which he did not register.
In his exit speech, Farage insisted he had "done nothing wrong" and hit out at Sky News reporters for "hounding" his daughter. He later posted on X a clip of reporters visiting his property, claiming they interacted with his daughter before leaving. He wrote: "Several media organisations have been hounding my daughter. When I approached the boss of Sky News and complained, they denied any contact - and so did their news report. Sky News are liars. I demand an apology from them and a promise not to repeat it."
Sky News Clarification
Hours later, Sky News broke its silence with a clarification on X. Resharing Farage's original post, they stated: "Clarification: Sky News was not at the property at 7.41am. As has already been acknowledged, and as shown in the footage from 10.19am, Sky News was outside a property where Mr Farage was registered to vote at the last election. Sky News did not interact with Mr Farage's daughter."
The broadcaster added: "On a single occasion, we approached the property without a camera operator, identified ourselves as Sky News, and the adult occupant chose not to engage. We were seeking to contact Mr Farage to ask questions about the gift he accepted from Mr Cottrell. This is a well-established and routine journalistic practice when reporting on matters of legitimate public interest. The footage clearly demonstrates that Sky News did not 'hound' or pursue Mr Farage's daughter. At no stage did we seek to speak to anyone other than Mr Farage in connection with this story."
Background and Scrutiny
Farage has been under intense scrutiny over his finances prior to his appointment as MP in 2024. The by-election in Clacton-on-Sea is expected to be a significant political event, with Farage's resignation adding to the controversy surrounding his financial disclosures.
