If you thought Donald Trump waggling his heft around to gay anthem YMCA was distasteful enough, you wait until you see Nigel Farage copying what daddy did first. It all went down at Reform UK’s fundraiser, bringing together the most rag-tag collection of non-entities ever to gather in one room, where over a million pounds was raised. The event took place at Oswald’s, an exclusive private members’ club in Mayfair, where attendees reportedly paid up to £25,000 for a ticket. And yet they still moan about having to pay inheritance tax!
The event attracted a mix of right-wing celebrities and prominent figures, including Holly Candy, a former rather risible singer and actress known for her role in the long-running television show Neighbours, and her husband Nick Candy, who serves as Reform’s treasurer and who celebrated bagging big bucks from Elon Musk before that money was whisked swiftly away. Among the other attendees were television presenter Ant Middleton, professional boxer Derek Chisora, and socialite and general non-entity about town, Lady Victoria Hervey.
According to reports, the gathering also included several former high-profile Conservative Party donors, such as Bassim Haidar and Mohammed Amersi. Farage addressed the crowd about the party’s preparations for the upcoming local elections in May, stating, “If you give us the ammunition we will do incredibly well,” as noted by the Times. Following the formal dinner, the festivities continued into the early hours at a different private members’ club, concluding around 3am. One can only imagine!
The presence of ex-Tory donors at the event prompted responses from the Conservatives. A spokesman for the new party leader Kemi Badenoch confirmed that the party is in active pursuit of “new donors” to support their financial recovery ahead of the 2025 local elections. It was stated that Badenoch is continually working to bring back donors to the party. The spokesman noted, “Let’s see, donors get to decide where they put their money and Kemi is making the case.”
In the political landscape, recent polling data from YouGov highlights a significant challenge for the Conservative Party, revealing that a third of its remaining supporters are contemplating a shift to Reform UK during the next election. While the Conservatives faced a severe setback in the recent General Election, maintaining only 121 seats, polling indicates that 33 per cent of their loyalists may support Farage’s party next time around. This sentiment contrasts sharply with the nine per cent of Labour supporters and eight per cent of Liberal Democrats who are considering switching allegiance.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/28/cash-crisis-crippling-tories-boosting-reform-party-farage/ – This article discusses Reform UK’s fundraising efforts and the challenges faced by the Conservative Party, including a cash crisis and the loss of donors to Reform UK.
- https://evrimagaci.org/tpg/reform-uk-raises-over-1-million-at-starstudded-fundraiser-167647 – This article provides details about Reform UK’s successful fundraising event at Oswald’s, highlighting the party’s growing influence and financial support.
- https://www.reformparty.uk/nuneaton-18-5-24 – This webpage lists an event by Reform UK, featuring Lee Anderson as a guest speaker, which indicates the party’s activities and outreach efforts.
- https://www.noahwire.com – This is the source mentioned in the article, but without specific content available, it cannot be directly linked to specific claims.
- https://www.yougov.co.uk/ – YouGov is a polling organization that could provide data on voter sentiment and party support, although specific polls mentioned in the article are not directly linked here.
- https://www.conservatives.com/ – The official Conservative Party website might discuss their efforts to regain donors and address financial challenges, but specific statements or data are not directly linked.
- https://www.reformparty.uk/ – The Reform UK website provides information on the party’s mission and activities but does not specifically address the fundraising event or quotes mentioned.
- https://www.thetimes.co.uk/ – The Times might have reported on Nigel Farage’s statement about needing ammunition for success, but without a direct link, this cannot be confirmed.
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics – BBC News often covers political events and polling data, which could support claims about voter sentiment and party challenges.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative appears to be recent, referencing ongoing political events and figures in their current roles. However, without specific dates or further context, it’s difficult to confirm its absolute freshness.
Quotes check
Score:
6
Notes:
The quote from Nigel Farage is noted as being from the Times, but without access to the original Times article, it’s challenging to verify its earliest known reference. The quote from the Conservative spokesman seems to be a general statement and lacks a specific source.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from the Daily Mail, a well-known publication. However, the reliability can vary depending on the specific topic and sources used within the story.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims about the fundraising event and political dynamics seem plausible given the current political landscape. However, specific details like the exact amount raised or attendee quotes could not be independently verified.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative appears to be recent and plausible, but lacks detailed verification of specific quotes and figures. The source is generally reliable, but the absence of direct links to original sources for quotes reduces confidence.
