Sky News faced a meltdown moments after Nigel Farage announced his resignation as an MP, with viewers flooding social media to ask if broadcaster Michael Crick was okay. The Reform UK leader stepped down on Tuesday afternoon (July 7), triggering a by-election in Clacton, which he has branded a "people vs establishment" election.
Farage Faces Multiple Investigations
Farage's resignation comes amid mounting pressure from two parliamentary standards investigations. The first probe concerns reports that he failed to declare benefits-in-kind from convicted criminal George Cottrell in the year before winning his Clacton seat in the 2024 general election. The second investigation involves claims that he did not declare a £5 million gift from Thailand-based crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne before his election. In his exit speech, Farage insisted no rules were broken, stating: "I repeat, I have done nothing wrong."
Sky News Broadcast Sparks Viewer Backlash
Minutes after Farage's speech aired, Sky News presenter Jayne Secker brought in political correspondents Michael Crick and Sam Coates for analysis. Viewers quickly noticed Crick's defensive posture, prompting a wave of comments on X (formerly Twitter). One user wrote: "Michael Crick. Just watching you on Sky News and need to ask you are you okay? You look as though you're about to spontaneously combust." Another added: "Sky News have just trebled their 'piling on' of Farage... directly after his statement. I was wavering on my support... but after seeing this spectacle of bias and hatred from people like Michael Crick and Beth Rigby... my faith in Nigel is fully restored. Sock it to them, Nigel."
