Farage blames 'staff incompetence' as he and Jenrick face rows of empty seats at Reform's pre-Budget event
Nigel Farage at a half-empty Reform UK event, as the latest Ipsos poll puts his party 12 points behind Labour and four points behind the Tories.Reform UK sits at 22.2% in the latest poll-of-polls, with the Ipsos survey placing Nigel Farage's party four points behind the second-placed Tories.
Guests were shuffled into seats behind the podium so Lindley Hall in Westminster would look full on TV. Nigel Farage conceded Reform had endured a 'difficult summer', insisting: 'Markets go up, markets go down.' An Ipsos poll puts Reform on 20%, trailing Labour on 32% and the Tories on 24%. Robert Jenrick unveiled the party's 'Economic Rescue Plan' ahead of Chancellor John Healey's Budget on Wednesday.
Tories called the event 'cringingly embarrassing', boasting Kemi Badenoch drew over 300 activists.
A Labour source joked: 'We can only hope the crickets in the room enjoyed it.'
Farage said an election fought on Europe and immigration 'may be just the thing' for Reform.
