Friday, September 04, 2026
In which I agree with Kemi Badenoch
The Independent reports:
Answering questions after a speech on defence in London, the Conservative leader was asked about Reform’s decision to refuse accreditation to a series of journalists for its conference this week.
One of the journalists was Anna Isaac, the Guardian’s City editor, who broke the story that Farage had accepted an undeclared £5m gift from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.
Farage’s attacks on the media were “very personal” at times, Badenoch said, also citing the targeting of journalists by Zia Yusuf, Reform’s home affairs spokesperson.
She continued: “I think you could … [see] what kind of government they would be – authoritarian and using state power actually to pursue opponents is what they’ve effectively been threatening.
“We believe in free speech. We believe in a free press. And yes, of course, that might be painful for us as politicians, but public scrutiny is part of the gig. If Nigel Farage can’t handle difficult questions about his dodgy £5m then he shouldn’t be a politician.”
This is absolutely right. Just like Trump, Reform UK do not like scrutiny and have little or no tolerance for opposition, preferring to brand anybody who disagrees with them as the establishment seeking to shut down their so-called insurgency.
The reality of course is that Reform UK is stuffed full of establishment figures and are pursuing an agenda that aligns with the interests of the powerful and wealthy. They have little or no interest in the needs of ordinary people and their communities.
Answering questions after a speech on defence in London, the Conservative leader was asked about Reform’s decision to refuse accreditation to a series of journalists for its conference this week.
One of the journalists was Anna Isaac, the Guardian’s City editor, who broke the story that Farage had accepted an undeclared £5m gift from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.
Farage’s attacks on the media were “very personal” at times, Badenoch said, also citing the targeting of journalists by Zia Yusuf, Reform’s home affairs spokesperson.
She continued: “I think you could … [see] what kind of government they would be – authoritarian and using state power actually to pursue opponents is what they’ve effectively been threatening.
“We believe in free speech. We believe in a free press. And yes, of course, that might be painful for us as politicians, but public scrutiny is part of the gig. If Nigel Farage can’t handle difficult questions about his dodgy £5m then he shouldn’t be a politician.”
This is absolutely right. Just like Trump, Reform UK do not like scrutiny and have little or no tolerance for opposition, preferring to brand anybody who disagrees with them as the establishment seeking to shut down their so-called insurgency.
The reality of course is that Reform UK is stuffed full of establishment figures and are pursuing an agenda that aligns with the interests of the powerful and wealthy. They have little or no interest in the needs of ordinary people and their communities.
