Reform UK’s hypocrisy on foreign donations exposed

Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead 

Yesterday

LEFT FOOT FORWARD

Fast-forward six years and both Farage and Tice have embraced foreign donations from another billionaire, Elon Musk.

In 2018, Hungarian American billionaire investor George Soros donated £400,000 to the pro-EU campaign, Best for Britain, through his Open Society Foundation (OSF). Soros had also funded several other anti-Brexit groups, including £182,000 for the European Movement UK and £35,000 for Scientists for EU.

Soros, a former refugee from communist Hungary, argued that leaving the EU would be a tragic mistake, weakening Britain’s global influence, and preoccupying Britain and Europe for years ahead.

The donation sparked criticism, especially from the UK right-wing media. The Daily Telegraph accused Soros of a secret plot to stop Brexit, describing him as “a rich gambler … accused of meddling in nation’s affairs.”

The Daily Mail labelled the donation “tainted.”

Prominent pro-Brexit figures Nigel Farage and Richard Tice voiced their opposition. Farage claimed Soros was trying to influence Western politics and undermine democracy. In multiple interviews, he denounced the involvement of a foreign national in Britain’s democratic process, describing it as a plot to reverse the Brexit result.

“US money is flooding into Europe in a huge way. It has been for many years. Indeed, the campaign in Britain to try and force a second referendum is funded by Mr George Soros who has been a US citizen for many, many decades,” he said in a 2018 interview with LBC.

Tice, too, criticised Soros, stating that, as a non-resident, he had no right to interfere with UK politics. “He [Soros] doesn’t live here, he doesn’t pay taxes here, what right has he got to interfere with our democracy and try and overthrow the government. He has no right at all and he should withdraw,” said the then co-chair of the Leave Means Leave campaign.

Fast-forward six years and both Farage and Tice have embraced foreign donations from another billionaire, Elon Musk. Reports suggest Musk is considering a $100 million donation to Reform, despite residing in the US.

Tice defended the potential donation, stating that if Musk legally donates, Reform would be “delighted” to accept. “It will be a fantastic endorsement of our policies to save Britain and get Britain growing again,” said Reform UK’s deputy in a recent interview.

The blatant shift in position didn’t go unnoticed. Political commentator Adam Schwarz pointed out the hypocrisy. On X, he posted Tice’s past criticism of Soros while now welcoming Musk’s involvement. Schwarz also criticised Farage, recalling his earlier comments condemning Soros’s donations to UK and European groups, which he described as an attempt to “undermine democracy.”

Adding to the hypocrisy is the fact that Farage recently met with Musk at Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida, alongside property developer Nick Candy, a former Conservative Party donor now backing Reform. Candy, who recently became Reform’s treasurer, has promised to raise big money to fight the next general election and will donate a “seven figure sum” of his own cash as well.

Following their meeting, Farage and Candy thanked Trump for allowing them to meet at Mar-A-Lago, calling it a “historic” moment.

“We learned a great deal about the Trump ground game and will have ongoing discussions on other areas. We only have one more chance left to save the West and we can do great things together,” they said.

Image credit: X screen grab – Adam Shwarz