Party insiders fear an association could harm their prospects at the ballot box.
Senior figures within Reform UK have urged Nigel Farage to distance himself from figures such as Andrew Tate and Tommy Robinson in a bid to win over mainstream voters. Reform UK insiders fear that an association with Tate, known for his misogynistic and homophobic videos and social media posts, and others could harm the party at the ballot box.
Farage has been pictured previously with Tate, who has been the subject of allegations of sexual abuse and human trafficking, all of which he denies. Speaking of Tate prior to the party’s surge in the polls, Farage described him as an “important voice” for the “emasculated”, adding that he gave boys “perhaps a bit of confidence at school”.
One source told The Guardian: “Yes, I have advised Nigel and others to be more careful about who we associate with – if we are to win over a broader section of British society, we cannot be linked to unpopular characters or people who have made unsavoury comments about women.”
It comes as a police force being probed over its handling of sex abuse allegations made against influencer Andrew Tate has reopened its investigation into the claims.
Hertfordshire Constabulary made the decision to reinvestigate the alleged rape and sexual assault offences which were reported to the force between 2014 and 2015.
The decision comes a day after the Independent Office for Police Conduct said a former detective constable could face gross misconduct proceedings for “alleged failures to properly investigate” the case.
Another senior Reform source said of Tate: “I am quite familiar with him and what he’s like, I look at his social media. He is nothing to do with Reform.
“We can’t help it if people that we don’t particularly want around us endorse us. There have been a few cases of that.
Farage has long resisted calls from supporters to include controversial figures on the right such as Tommy Robinson in the party more prominently.
Despite Reform insisting that Robinson would not be considered to stand as a candidate for the party, the controversial figure endorsed Matthew Goodwin in the recent Gorton and Denton byelection.
A Reform UK spokesperson said: “We have consistently been clear on this issue. He isn’t welcome in the party.”
Luke Tryl, who runs the polling company More in Common, believes that party insiders are right to fear that an association with controversial figures such as Tate and Robinson could impact them negatively.
He said: “We looked at the difference between Reform’s 2024 voters, hardcore ones, and their newer voters. And there is a big difference in approval of Robinson and Musk, and even Tate.
“There is a big distinction between 2024 voters and their newer voters and even more so for new women.”
