Farage's Popularity Plummets After Election Loss and Donation Scandal

Nigel Farage's Reform UK party has suffered another electoral setback, finishing a distant second in the Manchester mayoral by-election. Labour's Bev Craig secured 47 percent of the vote, while Reform UK's candidate garnered a mere 21 percent. This marks the third by-election loss for Reform UK this year, adding to the recent difficulties faced by its leader.

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The establishment, the political classes and the media, have set themselves the task of stopping my advance.

Farage is currently grappling with an ongoing scandal involving undeclared donations, which has severely impacted his public image. He has become the country's least popular party leader in recent weeks. Farage attributes his struggles to the "establishment," comprising "political classes and the media," who he claims are determined to halt his progress. He asserts that as a political outsider, he endures "constant demonization in the media" and feels unfairly treated, likening the press coverage to that of a "war criminal."

However, media journalist Mic Wright disputes Farage's narrative, calling the idea of a media campaign against him "rather absurd." Wright argues that media support and attention have been crucial to Farage's ascent. He points to Farage's frequent appearances on the BBC's "Question Time" program, noting that his party, Ukip, had minimal public support at the time. Wright also suggests that the press has treated Farage with more leniency than other politicians, allowing him to cultivate an image as a "down-to-earth guy" despite his personal preferences.

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The media's support, and the attention he receives in the media, was a decisive reason for his rise.

A study from Cardiff University indicated that the BBC's "News At Ten" covered Reform UK three times more frequently than the Liberal Democrats in the first half of 2025, despite the latter having more Members of Parliament. The study also found that the BBC often failed to analyze or question Reform UK's claims. While recent media coverage has become more scrutinizing, Wright notes that the press has generally been more forgiving towards Farage.

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He has been treated with a lot of indulgence.