Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleHow PMQs turned Farage into a figure of funA recent YouGov poll indicates that 73 per cent of Britons perceive Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as sleazy, with 69 per cent holding the same view of his party, marking an 18-point increase in the party's sleaze perception since October 2024. The Metropolitan Police has initiated an inquiry, following a referral from the Electoral Commission, into donations made to a political party ahead of the 2024 UK general election. This police investigation is linked to reports that the mother of convicted fraudster George Cottrell, a long-time aide and donor, made two undeclared £250,000 payments to Reform UK before the last general election. The polling highlights a clear gap between the public’s perception of Mr Farage and the other party leaders, with 51 per cent of Britons seeing Sir Keir Starmer as at least fairly sleazy, while 42 per cent said the same of Green leader Zack Polanski.Meanwhile, only 36 per cent found the same of prime minister-in-waiting, Andy Burnham, and just 34 per cent found Tory leader Kemi Badenoch sleazy.In fullNigel Farage named sleaziest politician in UK in new poll – and even Reform voters think itMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or…

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Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleNigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, announced…

Reform UK leader says he has ‘never been angrier’ as he triggers byelection – but critics say he is ‘up to his neck in sleaze’

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The Reform UK leader has lashed out at journalists and the 'establishment' as the pressure builds, leading to his explosive calling of a by-election on Tuesday

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleReform leader Nigel Farage has formally…

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe Metropolitan Police has been…

The negative perception of the party and its leader has grown, according to a polling expert

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As an opinion poll finds that three in four British voters think the Reform leader is ‘sleazy’, John Rentoul looks at the accusations against him