While I knew that Reform UK Ltd was largely funded by climate science deniers and fossil fuel interests, I was actually shocked to read that, according to recent research by DeSmog, in the period between the 2019 and 2024 elections, the figure was a staggering £2.3mn, 92% of their funding. This raises questions as to whether this private limited company is being paid for, and acting on behalf of, the interests of their pay masters.
But here is where it gets even more interesting. Farage and Reform potential supporters’ don’t like this at all, according to polling carried out by think tank Persuasion UK. Their goal was to find out from “Reform-curious Labour voters” […] “what messages or communication strategies might Reform be vulnerable to if they are used by the party’s opponents.”
Reform UK counter-messages explored
In the poll, 6,000 UK adults were split up into six demographically equal groups, with one control group and five message groups. Then each group was given a single message or an approach which was designed to counter Reform and then were asked to complete a survey.
Messages included a video on immigration ‘Labour moves to counter Reform UK’, a Sky News clip on climate change denial, ‘Categorically wrong: Scientists condemn comments by Reform’s Richard Tice’ and a Labour party video concerning Nigel Farage and Reform being open to an insurance-based video concerning Nigel Farage and Reform being open to an insurance-based NHS.
Then we come onto the crux; a constructed text on corporate interests:
Nigel Farage says he’s on people’s side, but when you take a closer look it’s pretty clear who he’s really fighting for, isn’t it? It’s the rich, the powerful, his mates in big business.
The text also states that
Reform has taken over £2mn from fossil fuel lobbyists, polluters, and climate change deniers – over 90% of their donations come from there apparently. £2mn quid! That’s not standing up for the people, it’s selling out to the highest bidder.
Finally the last message was another text on Reform, Farage and Trump:
We have already seen the chaos that Donald Trump has caused in the United States. But here in the UK we already have our own mini-version of Trump: Nigel Farage”.
The polls show Farage might be our next Prime Minister – all he would do is turn the UK over to Trump, Musk and their mates. He needs to be stopped.
Results show move away from Reform UK Ltd
Surprisingly and conflicting with much of the UK’s mainstream media, the poll’s results indicate that in the last message, Trump is not popular here with Farage and Reform closely aligning themselves with Trump’s beliefs. This result means that it is damaging to Reform where the results showed 8-10% decline in a more progressive direction away from Farage and Reform.
But what really might shake any potential Reform voters is the results of the ‘corporate interests’ message. This was not only negative on the favourability of Farage himself and Farage as the best prime minister but it was the only message to bring down people’s keenness to vote for Reform. This message went further and was the only area surveyed that increased Starmer’s lead over him in a two-way contest. Finally, in the survey, the statement “Reform are fighting to improve issues that matter to me”, also produced a negative result.
While I read Steve Akehurst’s Substack thoughts and conclusions on this, which I largely agree with, I can’t conclude it is just corporate interests. The statement the participants were reacting to was: “Reform has taken over £2 million from fossil fuel lobbyists, polluters, and climate change deniers—over 90% of their donations come from there apparently”. I would say that we can’t conclude that it is only corporate interests in general but also that Nigel and Reform are representing specifically the interests of corporate fossil fuel companies, fossil fuel lobby groups and climate change deniers.
Look for independent news to challenge Reform
Writing in Bylines Scotland, Lord Foulkes points out “the most dangerous indulgence is not the lack of scrutiny over Reform’s people or finances, but the failure to interrogate their claims.” Time and time again, we see the likes of Farage and Tice endlessly unchallenged on TV. Independent journalism, such as the Bylines Networks is a voice for holding them to account and acts as a counterpoint to the mainstream media.
Make your own mind up – follow independent, reliable news. That’s the way to achieve a more informed opinion when it comes to voting.
