Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, is set to appoint the party’s first defence spokesman this week in an effort to reinvigorate its poll standings amid ongoing controversies surrounding military funding and heritage representation. Farage is expected to announce the new appointment on Thursday, emphasizing the state of the Armed Forces as a key issue, particularly in light of recent government budget decisions widely criticized for inadequate military funding.
The move comes as Reform UK seeks to capitalize on concerns over the government’s handling of defence priorities. Farage has publicly criticized the Government, including Prime Minister Andy Burnham, whose denial of plans for a snap election has not deterred speculation of an imminent poll call where the military’s future will take center stage. Reform UK’s recent polling figures have declined, a trend attributed partly to internal challenges such as scrutiny over the party’s funding sources linked to cryptocurrency billionaires.
Central to Farage’s agenda is a pledge to remove what he terms ‘wokery’ from publicly funded military heritage institutions, specifically targeting the Imperial War Museum (IWM). The party alleges that the museum has drifted from its original mandate of commemorating the sacrifices of the Armed Forces, pointing to the closure of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery. The gallery, which housed one of the largest collections of Victoria and George Crosses, was discontinued in 2025 after the IWM trustees decided against continuing to display the medals. Lord Ashcroft, a notable philanthropist, subsequently moved his £70 million collection to the National Army Museum.
Farage and Reform UK accuse the IWM of being influenced by a culture that sidelines military history in favor of broader, ‘woke’ narratives. Lord Ashcroft previously described the museum as being in the grip of a “woke culture” with “no real interest in the Armed Forces.” Reform UK has vowed to overhaul leadership at the IWM and similar institutions, promising legislative changes to enforce respect for the military heritage.
The IWM has responded by emphasizing its commitment to inclusive and global storytelling. Since the appointment of Caro Howell as director general in 2023, the museum has invested in diversity initiatives, reportedly spending over £100,000 on diversity consultants last year. The institution has faced criticism in the past for programming decisions, including a 2021 remembrance event featuring a rap performance that controversially referenced Winston Churchill’s alleged role in the 1943 Bengal famine.
The museum also apologized in 2025 following an incident reported by a retired soldier whose daughter was told at the gift shop that the IWM “has nothing to do with the military,” a statement that drew concern from veterans and visitors alike.
Reform UK’s promise to reshape the narrative surrounding Britain’s military history, combined with its focus on defence issues, signals an intensified political debate over funding, commemoration, and public memory as the party prepares for potential upcoming elections.