Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, is now less popular with the British public than Keir Starmer was just before the former prime minister resigned. A new YouGov poll found that only 22% of voters have a favourable view of Farage, while 68% view him unfavourably – giving him a net approval rating of minus 46, the lowest recorded for him since the pollster began tracking in 2020. That score is worse than Boris Johnson's minus 41 after the first 'Partygate' revelations and Starmer's minus 45 when he stepped down as PM.
The sharp decline in Farage's popularity comes amid multiple controversies, chiefly over his personal finances. In April, The Guardian reported that he did not declare a £5 million gift he received from Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne shortly before standing as a candidate in the Clacton constituency. Farage insists he broke no rules and says he is the victim of a "witch-hunt," but the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner has been investigating whether the donation should have been declared. That inquiry was paused when Farage dramatically resigned his Clacton seat earlier this month, triggering a by-election he framed as a "people versus the establishment" battle.
“Nigel Farage's popularity hits record low amid finance row and Clacton by-election fallout.”
The by-election, scheduled for August 13, has largely backfired. Every major party declined to put up a candidate, calling it a "stunt" and a "vanity project," leaving novelty candidate Count Binface as Farage's main opponent. A record 34 candidates – mostly comedy characters and independents – are standing. Meanwhile, the Reform party has also been rocked by other stories about donors and supporters since mid-August last year, contributing to Farage's steadily declining favourability.
For UK readers, Farage's falling popularity matters because it signals a potential shift in political dynamics. Reform UK won control of Wakefield Council from Labour in May's local elections, and the party has positioned itself as a disruptive force. A high-profile row at a Love Music Hate Racism event in Wakefield on July 18 – in which organisers said Reform councillors demanded removal of posters featuring Farage's face, leading to an altercation – has also sparked complaints and a police investigation. If Farage's personal ratings continue to slide, it could weaken Reform's momentum and reduce their leverage in upcoming elections.
Q: Why is Nigel Farage's popularity falling? The main reason is the controversy over a £5 million gift he received from a crypto billionaire before the 2024 election, which he did not declare and is now under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. Additional stories about Reform's donors and supporters have also hurt his image, with his net favourability trending downward since mid-2025.
Q: How do Nigel Farage's approval ratings compare to other party leaders? His net approval of minus 46 is lower than Boris Johnson's minus 41 after partygate and Keir Starmer's minus 45 just before he resigned. It is the worst rating for Farage on YouGov's tracker since 2020. In contrast, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham started with a net positive rating of +3 – the first PM since Theresa May to do so.
Q: What is the Clacton by-election and why does it matter? After resigning his seat, Nigel Farage is standing in a by-election on August 13, hoping for a mandate against the "establishment." But no major party is fielding a candidate, and his main opponent is novelty candidate Count Binface. The by-election is seen as a test of Farage's personal appeal – and if his popularity continues to drop, it could undermine his claim to be a serious political force.
What happens next depends on the Clacton by-election result and the outcome of the standards investigation. Farage's net favourability may be further impacted by the campaign – so far, YouGov's Patrick English notes it has not interrupted the downward trend. Meanwhile, the police and Wakefield Council are investigating the incident at the Love Music Hate Racism event. If Farage fails to win convincingly or the inquiry finds against him, his political standing could weaken further.