LONDON – Nigel Farage, the newly appointed leader of Britain’s right-wing Reform Party and a prominent figure in British politics, encountered a disruptive start to his campaign for a parliamentary seat in the upcoming July 4 election. During his first full day of campaigning, Farage was unexpectedly drenched with a soft drink, marking a tumultuous beginning to his bid for political office.
The incident occurred shortly after Farage’s announcement that he would lead the Reform Party and contest the election, posing a significant challenge to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party, which currently lags behind Labour in opinion polls.
Renowned for his pivotal role in the successful Brexit campaign of 2016, Farage has long been a vocal advocate for Euroscepticism, exerting pressure on successive Conservative governments to adopt stricter immigration policies.
As Farage commenced his campaign in Clacton-on-Sea, southeast England, he was confronted by a woman who splashed a large cup of soft drink over him as he exited a pub, as captured in footage circulated on social media platforms. Despite the unexpected incident, Farage remained unharmed and was escorted away by security personnel.
Reacting to the assault, Richard Tice, chairman of the Reform Party, denounced the attacker as a “juvenile moron” and reaffirmed the party’s commitment to continuing its campaign efforts, suggesting that the incident could bolster support for Reform in the election.
Local authorities confirmed the arrest of a 23-year-old woman on suspicion of assault in connection with the incident, while Interior Minister James Cleverly condemned the attack as unacceptable.
Farage, a controversial and polarizing figure in British politics, has frequently courted controversy throughout his three-decade-long career. Known for his charismatic demeanor and divisive rhetoric, Farage’s past statements on immigration and British values have drawn criticism from political opponents.
This is not the first time Farage has been targeted during a campaign. In 2019, while campaigning for the Brexit Party, the predecessor to Reform, Farage was similarly doused with a milkshake in Newcastle, resulting in the perpetrator being ordered to compensate Farage for damages to his attire after pleading guilty to assault and criminal damage.