Nigel Farage is the victim of an "establishment stitch-up" by political rivals seeking to remove him from the political landscape, according to Malcolm Offord, the Scottish leader for Reform UK.
Offord made the assertion as major political parties have confirmed they will not contest the by-election triggered by Farage's resignation from his parliamentary seat, with some describing it as a political stunt. He suggested that Farage, who has been an outspoken critic of established parties for 25 years, is being deliberately targeted.
"He is anti-establishment, he's anti the incumbent parties, and he's been a thorn in their side for 25 years," Offord stated. "This is an opportunity for them to knock him out the ring, and they're feart (sic)."
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper commented that the by-election "shouldn't be happening," while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said her party would not participate in "the fake election, which Nigel Farage is causing to distract people from what is happening."
The Liberal Democrats have called for the government to block Farage's resignation until an ongoing standards investigation has concluded.
Regarding the financial support Farage received, Offord indicated that he was unaware of the full circumstances but maintained that Farage had done nothing wrong. A reported £5 million gift was made unconditionally when Farage was not contemplating a run for Parliament, though he later changed his mind. Offord described Farage as an "international figure" who encounters "interesting people along the way," noting that the individual who provided the support is a "personal friend" of the Reform UK leader.
"Right now, there's a narrative that if anyone's made any money, they're a bad person, and this is really bad for Britain," Offord added.