‘Strong confrontation’ comes at fragile moment for Reform’s relations with rightwing media as coverage turns negative. The exchange, which is said to have included an expletive aimed at Tony Gallagher, was triggered by the Reform UK leader’s outrage that the paper was planning to run a story about his houses, which he said endangered his family.
It is a fragile moment for Reform’s relationship with Britain’s rightwing media, whose coverage of Farage and his byelection gamble has taken a negative turn since questions were raised about his funding and finances. Coverage by the Times and the Sun, part of Rupert Murdoch’s News UK stable, as well as the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, has made for tough reading for Reform in recent days.
The Telegraph has described Farage’s decision to subject himself to a “people versus the establishment” by election in Clacton as a “summer gamble” and “a farce”. Meanwhile, Kemi Badenoch appeared in its pages stating the Conservative party “is for serious people, not a retirement home for failed politicians” – a jibe at Reform’s collection of Tory defectors.
The Mail has run an editorial that read: “How quickly times – and political fortunes – can change. It is only weeks since Reform UK’s rise appeared almost unstoppable. But two by election defeats and concerns over leader Nigel Farage’s financial affairs have significantly altered the landscape.”
In recent days, a damning verdict on Farage’s current predicament was delivered by Trevor Kavanagh, the Sun’s veteran political commentator and a figure close to Murdoch. “We are witnessing the sudden death of a political movement which began as the UK Independence party, morphed into the Brexit party, and now Reform,” he wrote. “Or, to simply name names, Nigel Farage.”
A Times spokesperson said: “We stand by our journalism, and do not accept that the published photograph identified the location of any property or presented a security risk.”
One senior editor said Farage had abandoned attempts to build broad support in favour of appealing to his base, resulting in attacks on the press. “It’s straight out of Trump world,” they said. “Demonise the messenger, rally the base, undermine the MSM.”
Should scepticism continue among the other newspapers on the right, it would put a serious dent in Reform’s grander ambitions of power
The fact that Farage is right wing- and the right wing press ( normally and usually supportive of right wing politicians) are scrutinising Farage, by way of investigative journalism rather than rumour mongering, click bait headlines - I agree is an example of the press rightly holding a politician to account.
If the right-wing press is 'attacking' a right-wing politician, what's the problem? Looks to me, and to a few others on this thread, as if the press referred to is doing its job properly.
Long may the press of any 'wing' hold incompetence and wrongness in our politicians, and others in public life, to account.
Maremia
Will Farage make Britain better, the way Trump is doing in the US of A?
😟
It's a no from me.
Btw, no press will be publishing full postage addresses and driving directions! 
Hahaha I see good old auto-correct has changed what should have been “independent schools” into “indecent schools” So sorry, but on the plus side made me laugh out loud!
Will Farage make Britain better, the way Trump is doing in the US of A?
😟
We frequently see TV and newspaper images of press outside politicians and prominent persons' properties waiting for someone to come out of their home. Mandelson and AMW earlier this year. It is an image not an address and twas ever thus.
Why are the Press interested in his houses?
I think it could be because of the changing narratives (some might say lies) about how the one in Clacton was acquired.
The solution is simple.
Put the controversy to bed by coming clean.
The ball is in Farage's court.
We do know about other politicians houses and we do see images of other politicians properties. I recall photos of Rayner's property in Brighton, photos of Sunak's house and other politicians' houses in the press. We've seen photos in the press of MPs standing outside their houses, with wives on occasion when an extra martial affair comes to light. We've more. recently seen photos of Starmer's house that was set fire to.
Farage himself stood before the same house in the Times photo for a media photo before the Times published the same image- the property image was already in the public domain * put there by Farage*
Farage may be in more trouble over his £5million 'gift'.
Yesterday the tax expert, Dan Neidle said
Dan Neidle
@danneidle.bsky.social
In May we said Nigel Farage probably didn't owe tax on his £5m gift.
The Guardian now reports the gift followed talks where Farage said he'd need £5m to return to frontline politics.
If that's right, we think there's a high risk of a £3m tax bill - payable by Reform.
Our original report said that if, hypothetically, the £5 million was paid as part of an arrangement for Mr Farage to become leader, the "disguised remuneration" rules in Part 7 ITEPA could apply.
Neidle says that originally there was no evidence of this, but the Guardian report he cites indicates that it might be 'disguised remuneration' and so subject to tax.
Full story here:
bsky.app/profile/danneidle.bsky.social/post/3mqtdpnasto2j
Or here on Neidle's website
taxpolicy.org.uk/2026/07/17/farage-5m-gift-tax/
Nigel Farage and his partner, Laure Ferrari, own a mortgage-free property empire worth more than £4 million, consisting of at least five homes across Surrey, Kent, and Essex.
His exact net worth is not publicly disclosed, though his high-earning media and political roles have led to substantial wealth.
The extensive property portfolio includes:Surrey Mansion: A five-bedroom property purchased for £1.42 million in May 2024, featuring a large annexe, 200-yard driveway, and a double-height living room.
Former Marital Home: Located in the village of Downe, Kent, valued at roughly £1 million and retained following the split from his second wife.
Kent Coast Properties: Two beachfront properties located in Lydd-on-Sea, owned through his company, Thorn In The Side Limited.Clacton Constituency Home:
A property purchased for approximately £900,000, registered solely in his partner's name.
The purchase of his £1.42 million Surrey home was made shortly after he received a £5 million personal gift from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based crypto billionaire
While Farage maintains the funds were necessary for personal security and the purchase was unrelated, the non-declaration (et. etc)
Nice one Farage. I'm sure the £1.2 million home was completely necessary to keep away the milk shakes.
FriedGreenTomatoes2
He’s 60 and a grandad now.
I’d walk.
Me too.
I think we all know the very wealthy have little, or zero, knowledge what it feels like not to be able to pay your household bills, or make choices between heating or eating.
It’s not necessarily their fault.
Farage was born into wealth, attended two elite exclusive indecent schools, went straight into the City into commodities (or whatever it was), and has zero clue what the “normal, average blokes” life looks or feels like.
This is absolutely fine, so long as you’re not selling yourself as a “normal, average man”, who, by exploiting people’s perceived anxieties/fears, has rapidly risen in our political system.
Stop and look for a moment at how many Reform councillors won seats at our local election the past two years and then look again at how many are still in office?
To me, this says it all.
To me, and it’s only my opinion, Farage is a charlatan, and great speaker, good at motivating people, amazing at making promises.
Since becoming an MP he’s managed not to turn up in parliament for 77 consecutive votes, yet managed to turn up to vote “nay” in things which will affect his own constituency like Renters Right and Employment Rights, he has not turned up at even one civic town hall meeting, he does not meet regularly with his constituency or run surgeries.
Farage has spent over 1,113 hours or 140 working days at his various other jobs since being elected to Parliament in July 2024 – while spending considerably less time addressing Parliament than other party leaders.
“By totalling Farage’s own estimates in the register of interests, Byline Times can reveal that Farage has spent 140 working days working on projects related to his other jobs, spread across 14 employers. The analysis excludes Farage’s work for the Telegraph newspaper, which is recorded differently. (Source byline times March 2026)”
Tell me again Farage is a “man of the people” 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
WWM2- I agree. I think Frage made a grave error in judgement in trying to lobby the Governor of the Bank of England over UK cryptocurrency plans. Then when his £5 million gift from Harborne came to light this link and significance amplified with the msm and a couple of previously supportive right wing outlets began their own investigations into Farage.
We are where we are and Farage is hitting back.
FriedGreenTomatoes2
Why on earth should the public be told about his houses?
We don’t know much at all about property’s other politicians have.
I don’t blame NF for feeling got at.
I don't believe the press should give away any information about MPs houses, especially in the current political climate. We've just had a prominent Reform member murdered so how much proof do you need that there is danger?
Rayner even indeed!
GG13 - if it was me I would also walk away from politics and enjoy life away from media scrutiny.
Farage I suspect would find it very difficult and will find it very difficult to walk away from all the attention and spotlight which he has enjoyed for many years.
Rayner even.
Farage has not been properly scrutinised either politically or regards finance, including his undeclared income, until very recently. Money laundering is a highly serious offence, and banks have reported this more than once to the NCA.
Many questions need answering.
Mayor= Raynor
He’s 60 and a grandad now.
I’d walk.
If I was Nigel Farage I would be tempted to walk away from politics and enjoy my life away from media scrutiny.
As it is he is continuing to stand up for his beliefs, whether or not I agree with some or all of them is irrelevant.
The media is doing exactly what it always has done, build someone/something up and then destroy it piece by piece…
FriedGreenTomatoes2
Maybe because she was dodging stamp
duty??
Just as Frage is currently under Parliamentary standards investigation as its claimed he failed to declare a £5 million gift plus Cottrell donations etc.
Farage actually said of the press reports on Mayor at the time he dint know how she could come back from this. She did.
Different kettle, different fish- in the same way now it remains to be seen whether Farage will come back from his current situation.
Mr Google tell me this:
“UK MPs are required to declare any land or property they own, either fully or partially, that has a value of more than £100,000 or forms part of a property portfolio exceeding that value. They must record these holdings in the Register of Members' Financial Interests.“
Now, and again, I may have been mistaken, or misled, but as I understand it, there appeared to be some “confusion” over how many properties Mr Farage has a financial interest in and how many he declared.
It appears to be a similar “confusions” as to whether or not the £5m “gift” to Farage should, or should not, have been declared.
If Mr Farage hasn’t broken any rules and all is as it should be, then all is well and nothing to fear. He can sue the Times. If not, ….
I don’t think he is a fake
Just because he is wealthy does not preclude him from seeing what is happening in the UK. And how things could be better.
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