Nigel Farage turned down offer of taxpayer-funded security

Nigel Farage turned down an offer of state-funded security, including a bodyguard, a car and trained driver last year.

According to the i Paper, he declined the security offer, claiming that it was “inadequate”, despite it offering a similar level of protection to what the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and high-profile cabinet ministers receive.  

The Reform leader was offered this level of protection based on police advice regarding the threats he faced.

Farage has described himself as the “most physically and verbally attacked public figure or politician of modern times”.

The Reform politician has also repeatedly complained that Parliament has cut his security. 

Following the murder of Ann Widdecombe, Zia Yusuf, Reform’s home affairs spokesperson has even claimed that “the state is providing no protection whatsoever” to Reform’s MPs and that the government “does not care” about their security.

The House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has made clear that all MPs are treated equally when it comes to security. 

He told MPs: “Every Member of Parliament is equal in their security to me – there is no difference between any member, I want to reassure you.”

Farage originally said that he needed the £5 million gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne to pay for his security for the rest of his life. Farage later changed his story, stating that it was a reward for him having campaigned for Brexit.

However, an investigation by the i Paper has found that he was offered a state-funded package, which he rejected.

Farage was previously receiving state-funded security, before opting to pay for security privately.

A Reform spokesman suggested that Farage needs “greater protection” than Badenoch, and also denied that Farage rejected protection, adding: “He declined a downgraded and inadequate package.”

Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward