He may be in league of his own on social media, but can he convince the big money he leads a viable national party?. On brand as ever, Nigel Farage got the news that Reform appears to have surpassed the Tories in membership numbers while attending a traditional Boxing Day hunt.
He was filmed for TikTok and Instagram wearing tweeds and a flat-cap, getting the news on his phone. He said: “We’ve done it. We’re through. How about that? We’re now the official opposition.” Sticking out his tongue and smiling straight into the camera, he added: “It’s going to be a long day.”.
Despite his deliberate efforts to appeal to conservative instincts, Farage’s social media methods are far from traditional for a UK politician. While Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch delivered conventional Christmas speeches in suits in front of their festive trees, Farage’s social media offerings were unscripted, casual and broadcast to many more followers.
His Christmas day picture featured him in a Santa suit with a baby member of his clan on his knee in what looked very much like an ordinary, suburban family Christmas setting in front of patio doors. These pictures and video clips of Farage are reaching his 5.4m-plus followers in a way that the other party leaders are barely attempting to do, and they are a large part of why Reform appears to be growing so strongly in membership and in the opinion polls.
Badenoch posted on X on Thursday to challenge Farage’s claims of surpassing the Tories in membership and to accuse him of faking the projection of the numbers on Conservative party HQ. But her claims that he does not understand the digital age do not add up when you look at the way he has been building support online.
