Parteikonferenz in Birmingham: Neue Vorwürfe gegen britische Rechtspopulisten um Farage

Hundreds of people waited in line outside the congress center in Birmingham for the second day of Reform UK's annual conference. Despite the conference already being underway, supporters of party leader Nigel Farage were patiently waiting to get close. The revelation of another suspected donation scandal played a minor role. "Farage will take care of it," said Robert, a party member whose age was not disclosed.

He wore a jacket with embroidered British flags. About an hour earlier, Farage stated in an LBC interview that the party "had not broken any laws" and had not accepted dubious money or anything similar. However, a Channel 4 News investigation suggested otherwise. The core issue concerned ways party officials allegedly sought to use foreign funds around the UK's party donation rules.

Reform UK was offered a major donation from a supposed US entrepreneur and his son, but it was a disguised reporter from the investigative group "Verbatim Investigations." Reform UK launched an investigation after the Channel 4 News broadcast, according to a PA news agency spokesperson. Two senior officials resigned on the morning of the investigation, including a close advisor to Farage.

Several British media reported on the extent of the advisor's influence over the party leader. Being British, "isn't bad," said 19-year-old Archie. He stressed that the party had a zero-tolerance policy for wrongdoing, including racist remarks. The young man supported Reform because he believed Britain should be a place where it's good to be British.

"That's not bad," he said, but doing bad things is. Migration has always been at the center of Farage's politics. Almost a year ago, the Brexit campaigner presented plans to combat illegal immigration, promising to deport large numbers without regard for individual circumstances or the situation in their home countries. Party member Robert said he had nothing against immigration.

He only cared about control. The debate is similar to Germany's on illegal migration. Like the AfD, Reform UK exploits the fear of alleged insecurity caused by foreigners, especially in larger cities, to whip up public sentiment. Robert's companion, a man of a similar age, said every country should have the right to protect its own population.

At the stand next to him, party members could buy T-shirts with Farage's name. In 2025, immigration to the UK had dropped significantly. According to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures, the immigration surplus, the difference between immigrants and emigrants, was 171,000 people as of the end of December 2025 - about 50 percent less than a year earlier.

The ONS published the numbers in May, and Reform was still leading in several polls. However, in recent weeks, the populist party has lost momentum and is now only roughly on par with the ruling Labour party. The main reason for this, according to observers, is the shift in Labour leadership from Keir Starmer to Andy Burnham, who has created a "Burnham bounce," a surge in support.

The National Audit Office (NAO) is investigating the new donation allegations and is in contact with the police. The 61-year-old Barbara at stand 3 said they should wait patiently to see what the investigation uncovers. The 47-year-old woman beside her agreed, saying Britain needed to change fundamentally, not just right or left policies, but the right policies.

There are currently only eight Reform MPs in the House of Commons. The party's power comes from its influence at the local level, where it has won hundreds of seats. Farage had repeatedly flirted with becoming Prime Minister in recent months. He was chosen to be an MP in 2024 but resigned after being accused of receiving a £5 million donation without declaring it.

In the subsequent by-election, he ran again, saying voters should judge his actions. He remained clear that it was not a donation but a personal gift with no conditions.