Reform UK's inaugural full year as a parliamentary force has been defined by internal chaos, public scandals, and severe external criticism. After securing seats in the 2024 general election, Nigel Farage's party has faced a relentless series of controversies that have challenged its credibility and cohesion.
Internal Revolts and High-Profile Fallouts
The year began with a stunning betrayal from an unlikely source. In January, tech billionaire Elon Musk, previously courted by Farage as a potential donor and ally, publicly turned on the Reform leader. Musk declared on X that "Farage doesn’t have what it takes" and called for a new party leader, endorsing then-MP Rupert Lowe instead. This public humiliation came just hours after Farage had lavished praise on Musk, calling him a "hero".
The rift with Lowe soon escalated into open warfare. By March, Reform had reported its own Great Yarmouth MP to the Metropolitan Police over alleged threats against party chairman Zia Yusuf. Lowe was suspended, igniting a bitter civil war. Although prosecutors decided in May not to bring charges, the public feud was deeply damaging. Lowe accused the party of trying to "weaponise the criminal justice system" against him.
The party's discipline continued to unravel. In July, MP James McMurdock left Reform to sit as an independent following questions over Covid-19 business loans totalling £70,000. This followed the chaotic resignation and swift reinstatement of Chairman Zia Yusuf in June, after he criticised a fellow MP's call for a burka ban.
Racism Allegations and a Jailed Former Star
Reform UK faced persistent accusations of tolerating racism within its ranks. In October, MP Sarah Pochin sparked fury by stating it drove her "mad seeing adverts full of Black and Asian people". Despite Farage calling the comments "ugly", he took no disciplinary action, leading Labour leader Keir Starmer to label him "spineless" on racism.
Pressure mounted on Farage personally towards the year's end, as 26 former pupils and a teacher from his old school, Dulwich College, came forward to corroborate allegations of racist and antisemitic comments made during his schooldays. The signatories, denying political motivation, expressed "dismay and anger" at his denials.
The most severe legal scandal hit in November, when Nathan Gill, Reform's former leader in Wales, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison for accepting at least £40,000 in Russian bribes to promote pro-Kremlin lines while an MEP. The case prompted Starmer to order a probe into foreign financial interference in British politics.
Policy U-Turns and Local Government Chaos
On policy, Reform's flagship economic pledge unravelled. In November, Farage was forced to abandon his promised £90 billion tax cuts package, which had been ridiculed by economists from institutes like the IFS for not adding up. He blamed the state of public finances under Labour for making the plans "unrealistic".
At a local level, the party's flagship administration, Kent County Council"f****** suck it up". The council later proposed a maximum 5% council tax rise, contradicting Reform's pledge to slash wasteful spending through its much-vaunted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The party's September conference also drew fire for platforming a doctor who suggested Covid vaccines were a factor in royal family cancers, and for celebrating a woman jailed for calling for migrant hotels to be burned.
As the year closed, Farage faced—and was cleared of—allegations of breaching election spending rules in his Clacton constituency, capping a year of relentless controversy that leaves Reform UK facing significant questions about its stability and future direction.
