Nigel Farage’s controversial energy bills competition has come under fresh scrutiny after he was accused of handing over the prize to a couple he has been pictured with before.
The Reform UK leader announced the winner of the competition on Thursday, telling June from Wigan that the party would be paying for her entire street’s energy bills for a year.
In a video posted on social media, Mr Farage could be seen handing over flowers to the couple in their foyer, as the party’s treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick held a giant cheque.
Wigan’s local Reform UK branch posted the news on Facebook later, congratulating the pair of “staunch” branch members on their win.
But soon after, social media users claimed Mr Farage already knew the pair, as a picture appearing to show him standing behind the couple at a 2019 Brexit Party event resurfaced.
The Reform UK leader announced the winner of the controversial competition on Thursday, telling June from Wigan that the party would be paying for her entire street’s energy bills for a year (Nigel Farage/Facebook)
It is understood that the party followed the legal requirements of the competition, with a draw that picked June as the winner at random.
However, the Conservative Party accused Reform of having “tried to pull the wool over people’s eyes”, with Kemi Badenoch having reposted a post on X featuring the photo with a caption: “It must have been so weird to pretend they’ve never met.”
A Conservative spokesman said: “How odd for Nigel to have had to pretend he had never met these prominent members of his Party before.
“This staged interaction is far from the first time Reform have tried to pull the wool over people’s eyes.”
Reform UK launched the competition pledging to pay a street’s energy bills for a year last month.
Unveiling the draw, Mr Jenrick, told a press conference in London: “In the next week or two, we’re going to draw one of those names, and Nigel [Farage] is going to come to your house and he’s going to pay your energy bills and those of everyone who lives on your street for an entire year.”
The competition sparked calls for the information watchdog to investigate, after competitors were asked questions including who they voted for at the last general election and who they plan to back at the next.
In a video posted on X on Thursday, Mr Farage could be seen handing a large cheque for £1,758 to the couple in Wigan as they opened the door to their red-brick home.
At a launch of Reform’s local election campaign slogan the following day, Mr Farage also said he is “not the least bit worried” his party broke electoral rules.
Reform UK said it had been cleared by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
MK2809 on
I’ll never vote for the corrupt Reform UK. They model themselves off Putin and Trump, two of the biggest threats to the west currently.
Mikeymoo on
You know, I’m starting to think this guy might not be as honest as we all think he is.
/s
AllThatIHaveDone on
> the party would be paying for her entire street’s energy bills for a year
Political parties shouldn’t be allowed to make arrangements with voters like this. It feels corrupt.
callsignhotdog on
To be entirely fair, was anyone entering this obvious PR stunt contest who wasn’t already an avowed Reform supporter?
Soggy-Temperature744 on
Tacky and distasteful as everything this waste of oxygen does. Purely performative actions to sew discord among us.
HinDae085 on
Doesnt matter to Farage. He got a whole bunch of people’s voting history and intentions from this scam.
Info his party should absolutely not have.
Gold_Instruction7273 on
Report this to your local police online, that’s what I’ve done. If farage is found guilty of corruption, he can’t stand as an MP again
8 commenti
Nigel Farage’s controversial energy bills competition has come under fresh scrutiny after he was accused of handing over the prize to a couple he has been pictured with before.
The Reform UK leader announced the winner of the competition on Thursday, telling June from Wigan that the party would be paying for her entire street’s energy bills for a year.
In a video posted on social media, Mr Farage could be seen handing over flowers to the couple in their foyer, as the party’s treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick held a giant cheque.
Wigan’s local Reform UK branch posted the news on Facebook later, congratulating the pair of “staunch” branch members on their win.
But soon after, social media users claimed Mr Farage already knew the pair, as a picture appearing to show him standing behind the couple at a 2019 Brexit Party event resurfaced.
The Reform UK leader announced the winner of the controversial competition on Thursday, telling June from Wigan that the party would be paying for her entire street’s energy bills for a year (Nigel Farage/Facebook)
It is understood that the party followed the legal requirements of the competition, with a draw that picked June as the winner at random.
However, the Conservative Party accused Reform of having “tried to pull the wool over people’s eyes”, with Kemi Badenoch having reposted a post on X featuring the photo with a caption: “It must have been so weird to pretend they’ve never met.”
A Conservative spokesman said: “How odd for Nigel to have had to pretend he had never met these prominent members of his Party before.
“This staged interaction is far from the first time Reform have tried to pull the wool over people’s eyes.”
Reform UK launched the competition pledging to pay a street’s energy bills for a year last month.
Unveiling the draw, Mr Jenrick, told a press conference in London: “In the next week or two, we’re going to draw one of those names, and Nigel [Farage] is going to come to your house and he’s going to pay your energy bills and those of everyone who lives on your street for an entire year.”
The competition sparked calls for the information watchdog to investigate, after competitors were asked questions including who they voted for at the last general election and who they plan to back at the next.
In a video posted on X on Thursday, Mr Farage could be seen handing a large cheque for £1,758 to the couple in Wigan as they opened the door to their red-brick home.
At a launch of Reform’s local election campaign slogan the following day, Mr Farage also said he is “not the least bit worried” his party broke electoral rules.
Reform UK said it had been cleared by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
I’ll never vote for the corrupt Reform UK. They model themselves off Putin and Trump, two of the biggest threats to the west currently.
You know, I’m starting to think this guy might not be as honest as we all think he is.
/s
> the party would be paying for her entire street’s energy bills for a year
Political parties shouldn’t be allowed to make arrangements with voters like this. It feels corrupt.
To be entirely fair, was anyone entering this obvious PR stunt contest who wasn’t already an avowed Reform supporter?
Tacky and distasteful as everything this waste of oxygen does. Purely performative actions to sew discord among us.
Doesnt matter to Farage. He got a whole bunch of people’s voting history and intentions from this scam.
Info his party should absolutely not have.
Report this to your local police online, that’s what I’ve done. If farage is found guilty of corruption, he can’t stand as an MP again