Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has experienced a sharp decline in public approval following recent controversies surrounding his finances and the decision to trigger a by-election in his Clacton constituency. According to polling conducted by BMG Research, Farage’s net approval rating has dropped by 10 percentage points over the past month, with 49 percent of respondents expressing dissatisfaction with his leadership and only 23 percent expressing satisfaction. This represents his lowest approval rating since assuming the Reform leadership in June 2024.

The decline comes amid an investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards into a £5 million gift Farage received from Thai-based cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne prior to his election as an MP in 2024. Parliamentary rules require all gifts and donations received within 12 months before election to be fully declared. Farage maintains that the payment was unrelated to politics and did not require disclosure.

Farage’s move to call a by-election in Clacton, framing it as a choice between “country versus the establishment,” has not drawn support from major political parties, who have declined to field candidates. The by-election is set for 13 August, with Farage facing opponents including satirical candidate Count Binface.

In addition to the financial scrutiny, questions persist regarding ties between Farage, Reform UK, and convicted fraudster “Posh” George Cottrell, who is reportedly based in Montenegro. Cottrell’s mother is alleged to have donated substantial sums to both Reform and Britain Means Business, a private company owned by the party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice.

Meanwhile, Green Party leader Zack Polanski has also seen his approval rating fall significantly since taking office in November. Initially holding a net rating of -1, the figure has dropped to -22 amid various controversies. These include nonpayment of council tax and criticism of police officers involved in arresting a suspect accused of stabbing two Jewish men in north London in May. Polanski further attracted criticism after sharing an image depicting a man wearing a T-shirt with a guillotine and the caption “We’re only making plans for Nigel,” apparently referencing Farage.

Labour Party’s Andy Burnham has recorded a modest increase in approval, currently standing at +5. Rob Struthers, research director at BMG, suggested that Burnham’s rise may indicate a realignment within the political left, though he cautioned that Reform UK voters are unlikely returning en masse to Labour. Struthers noted that the right-wing political bloc appears increasingly fragmented, with Reform UK facing pressure from both sides of the spectrum.