UK

Brexit voters have a negative view of Nigel Farage for first time ever, poll shows

Basit Mahmood

Today
Left Foot Forward

Among leave voters, Farage has a popularity rating of -4.

A new poll for YouGov makes worrying reading for Nigel Farage, after it found that Brexit voters, for the first time ever, have a negative view of the Reform UK leader.

Farage, who has usually enjoyed support among leave voters, has seen his popularity plummet after being elected as Clacton’s MP. He has regularly faced accusations of not giving a toss about his constituency after flying off to the U.S. to show his support for Donald Trump after an assassination attempt on the Republican nominee for President.

Farage has also been accused of stoking tensions and fanning the flames of division following violent far-right riots in towns and cities across the UK, which were fuelled by Islamophobic and anti-immigrant sentiment.

The riots occurred after the killing of three young girls in Southport. Within hours of the horrific attack, the far-right were spreading misinformation about the identity of the attacker, claiming that he had arrived in the UK via a small boat with a number of far-right social media accounts claiming that the attacker was Muslim, a migrant, refugee or foreigner.

The knifeman was later revealed to be Cardiff-born Axel Rudakubana.

Farage posted a video online speculating on the background of the alleged killer shortly after the knife attack took place last week. He also falsely claimed that “some reports suggest he was known to the security services” and later on admitted that he had shared misinformation spread by the likes of Andrew Tate.

The YouGov poll found that the net popularity of Farage has plummeted to -27 among 2024 Conservative Party voters, dropping 17 points since July.

Among leave voters, Farage has a popularity rating of -4.

Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward