Nigel Farage turned down taxpayer-funded security which reportedly included a trained driver, car, and bodyguard last year because he deemed it “inadequate”.
The Reform UK leader was offered the package, which was on the same level as high-profile Cabinet ministers and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, following police advice, according to The i Paper.
But Mr Farage turned the security down. In a statement to The Independent, Reform UK said the offering, which came days after the assissination of Charlie Kirk, did not match the threat against the party leader.
“Reform took the responsible decision to maintain proper protection rather than gamble with his life,” the statement said.
The emergency of the refusal comes after Reform home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf claimed the state was “providing no protection whatsoever” for Reform’s MPs in the wake of Ann Widdecombe’s alleged killing.
Ms Widdecombe, who was a Reform UK spokeswoman, was killed last week at her home in Devon. Police have arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of murder and launched a terrorism probe into her death.
The alleged killing has sparked a call for greater measures to protect MPs, with several representatives from across the political spectrum speaking of their concerns during a Commons debate on Monday afternoon.
During the hearing, home secretary Shabana Mahmood said she had offered Mr Farage a meeting with the head of a parliamentary body responsible for politicians’ security amid the party’s concerns about the safety of Reform UK MPs.
Mr Farage later said he had accepted the offer in a post on X.
The i Paper reported that the package offered to Mr Farage was for a bodyguard, car and trained driver.
Reform UK’s statement said: "Nigel Farage is the most targeted politician in Britain and the only party leader who actually goes out to meet the public in huge numbers on the campaign trail.
"Faced with a state offer that no longer matched the threat against him, Nigel declined the downgraded and inadequate package and Reform took the responsible decision to maintain proper protection rather than gamble with his life.”
Reform has said it will provide its MPs with 24-hour security following Ms Widdecombe’s death.
