Nigel Farage leader of Reform UK speaks at a press conference in London, Thursday, April 2, 2026. Voters have turned on Nigel Farage amid the ongoing sleaze row over a £5 million gift he received from a Thailand-based crypto-billionaire. Parliament’s standards watchdog has launched an investigation into the undeclared donation to the Reform UK leader from Christopher Harborne shortly before he became an MP. Farage has insisted he is the victim of a witch-hunt and last week quit as MP for Clacton to trigger a “people versus the establishment” by-election in the seat. However, polling by More in Common showed that 45% of the public believe privately-educated Farage, who is a former MEP and stockbroker, is himself part of the establishment. That is slightly below Keir Starmer (52%) and Kemi Badenoch (54%), but more than the 41% who think incoming prime minister Andy Burnham is in the establishment. More than two-thirds (69%) said Farage should have declared the £5 million donation, including 41% of Reform voters. In a further blow for the Reform leader, his personal approval ratings have also plunged to minus 24% in the past month, the lowest they have been since the last general election. More in Common director Luke Tryl said: “We can now say for sure that Farage’s £5 million donation has cut through, and it’s an unflattering look for the Reform leader. “There’s a real risk for Farage that the public does not buy into the idea that he’s being unfairly treated by the establishment – even if they might feel sympathy for his arguments about the press being intrusive into his personal and family life, and may agree that the standards model needs to be updated. “Nonetheless, the fact that almost as many Britons consider Farage to be ‘of the establishment’ as Keir Starmer or Kemi Badenoch suggests that this scandal could undermine one of Farage’s key assets as a politician – that he’s not like the other politicians. “The charges of sleaze and cronyism that Reform has levelled at the Tories and Labour could have less bite if this story about Farage has some staying power.” Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster. Related... Nick Robinson In Live Radio Clash With Robert Jenrick Over Nigel Farage's Safety Nigel Farage Says He Is Being Treated Like 'A War Criminal' By The Media British Voters Want Count Binface To Beat Nigel Farage In Clacton By-Election