Nigel Farage has had his taxpayer-funded security detail reduced by three-quarters, Reform UK has claimed. The party’s head of policy, Zia Yusuf, said parliamentary authorities had cut the Reform leader’s protection “for inexplicable reasons”.
The reduction comes as Reform accuses Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour of endangering its politicians and activists by describing Mr Farage’s immigration policy as racist. At the Labour conference, the Prime Minister and his colleagues repeatedly attacked Reform’s plans to scrap indefinite leave to remain.
Mr Yusuf told Times Radio: “Two weeks ago, the authorities cut Nigel’s security detail by 75%, and then we have seen the most extraordinary 48 hours of demonisation and incitement to violence against the man who is the bookmakers’ favourite to be the next prime minister.” He added that the Parliamentary Security Department had “materially downgraded” the security.
Since the cut at the start of September, Reform UK donors have stepped in to cover the cost of private security, understood to exceed £1 million per year. Mr Yusuf confirmed in a video: “Thankfully, we’ve had generous donors step in … Nigel is safe and he is well protected.”
A House of Commons spokesperson said security assessments are “rigorous risk-based” and kept under review, but declined to comment on specific details. The Home Office stated that decisions on MP security are made independently of ministers.
