Nigel Farage and Reform are touring the country for the local elections, and they’re consistently polling higher than the other parties. Their campaign kicked off with a series of rallies for supporters and candidates, where they encouraged people who weren’t already members to join the party and put themselves forward as candidates. Now, Farage has a packed schedule of walkabouts and meetings with future councillors and supporters across the UK.
[Image: Nigel Farage shows his colours.]
[Image: Farage on a high street walkabout with a prospective councillor and billionaire backer, Nick Candy, at the Braintree Outlet Village shopping centre in Essex, 24 April.]
[Image: Farage on a high street walkabout in Shipley, Yorkshire, 22 April.]
[Image: Farage on a high street walkabout meeting supporters and prospective councillors in Great Dunmow, near Uttlesford, 17 April.]
[Image: Farage meets a fan in a barber shop in Great Dunmow, and some friends with their dogs in Waltham Abbey, 17 April.]
At the end of a long day that included stops in Waltham Abbey and Harlow, meeting future councillors and going on a walkabout, a man rushed out of the barber’s mid-haircut to greet him and take a selfie.
[Image: Farage on a high street walkabout in Crowborough, 15 April.]
Then came a visit to Crowborough, where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Kim Philby once lived. The high street was pretty quiet, except for other journalists, as Farage was shown around by future councillors.
[Image: Farage at the site of a cadet training camp he visited as a schoolboy, now housing asylum seekers, speaking to photographers, including me.]
Last year, the government announced that about 500 people seeking asylum in the UK would be housed in an army camp on the outskirts of this East Sussex town. Protests followed, and a local volunteer patrol group was formed. After the walkabout, Farage went to the camp, which he said he had visited as a cadet in school. There, he filmed content for Reform’s YouTube channel and other social media.
[Image: Farage on the high street in Crawley, 15 April.]
Then it was on to Crawley for another walkabout (where he met a group from the Chagos Islands, among others), before ending up in Redhill, 15 April.
[Image: Farage at a candidate meet-up at a pub, where he chatted and posed for a group photo, 15 April.]
The day ended with a visit to Redhill. Famous former residents include Bernard Bresslaw, known for the Carry On films; Ronnie Biggs, who was arrested there for his role in the Great Train Robbery; author Nick Hornby; and occultist Aleister Crowley. Thankfully, there was no satanic naked dancing at the Dog and Duck pub during the meet-and-greet with future councillors and supporters.
[Image: Farage on a walkabout with Reform candidates for the local council elections in Dagenham, 10 April.]
There’s a walkabout in Dagenham, where 1960s stars Dudley Moore, Sandie Shaw, and 1966 England manager Sir Alf Ramsey once lived. The town is also famous for the Ford sewing machinists’ strike of 1968, which was turned into the film Made in Dagenham. More recently, on 26 August 2024, Dagenham made the news because of the Spectrum tower block fire, which engulfed a building with cladding similar to Grenfell. Luckily, a major disaster was avoided this time.
[Image: Farage at a candidate meet-up in the Forester pub in Chigwell on 10 April.]
[Image: Farage takes a call and a break after photos at the Forester pub in Chigwell.]
After the walkabout, it’s off to the Forester pub in Chigwell to meet future councillors, answer questions, and take photos.
[Image: Farage posing for photos at the Bird in Hand pub in Bromley.]In fullscreen
A walkabout in Welling – always with his security team.
More selfies during a walkabout in Welling, where Kate Bush grew up and where the British National Party famously had its headquarters for five years, until the council shut it down after large anti-racist protests.
After meeting people in Welling, the day ends with a meeting with supporters and prospective councillors at the Bird in Hand pub in Bromley, and finally, individual photos with each person.
Nigel Farage on a walkabout in Bedworth.
After a press conference at the Saunders Club in Bedworth with Siobhan, the mother of Rhiannon Whyte, who was murdered by an asylum seeker, Farage went on another walkabout. Lots of young people on school holidays wanted selfies.
Many industries have disappeared – the first alloy-bodied Jaguar XK120s were built here in 1948. Some manufacturing remains – Toye, Kenning & Spencer specializes in making hats, banners, flags, medal ribbons, and Masonic regalia. Pete Doherty attended the Nicholas Chamberlaine school, and Conrad Keely of the American band …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead was a resident.
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Robert Jenrick, MP and Reform’s shadow chancellor, joined Farage to hold a press conference on pensions, followed by a tea party with supporters afterwards.
Over Easter weekend, Farage was in London for a press conference, where he recorded an Easter message for his supporters that went out on Reform’s social media channels.
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Nigel Farage about to go on stage in Norwich, Norfolk, 31 March.
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A quiet moment for Farage while out campaigning and meeting supporters in Felixstowe, Suffolk, 23 March.
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Protesters at one of Farage’s campaign stops in Felixstowe.
A walkabout with councillors in late March was cut short in Felixstowe when a small protest broke out after his stop at a tea shop. In the places Nigel Farage has visited, there have been occasional shouts of “not welcome” or “despicable man,” but generally, he has received a warm welcome.
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Farage poses for photos with local council candidates and supporters before a rally at the Circus Tavern entertainment complex in Grays, 18 March.
Farage had his photo taken with prospective candidates and supporters before the event. Among the upcoming attractions were an Ultra Mixed Martial Arts event, a show from Katie Hopkins’ Free Range tour, and comedian Jim Davidson performing in his Last Man Standing … Just tour.
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Farage speaks at a rally in Basingstoke, Hampshire, 10 March.
A Basingstoke rally kicked off a day in Hampshire, and then it was on to Portsmouth to visit a pub, followed by a look around the Tower and the old docks, on the day HMS Dragon was due to leave for Cyprus.
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Farage visits the oldest pub, the Wellington, in Portsmouth, 10 March.
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Farage at an old fort overlooking the estuary, 10 March.
At a press conference in London on local government, mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham, former Labour mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales, and ex-councillor Clive Furness announced they had joined Reform UK.
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Farage leaves a press conference with mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham, 4 March.
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Farage speaks at a rally and press conference at the NEC Birmingham with all the Reform MPs, plus talkshow host Jeremy Kyle, 9 February.
One of a series of rallies in January and February that kicked off the Reform election campaign.
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Farage at a veterans’ rally at old Billingsgate Market in London, where ex-Tory home secretary Suella Braverman announced she was joining Reform, 26 January.
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Audience members at a rally in Newark – Jenrick’s constituency, 19 January.
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Too good to be true: Farage dances to Frankie Valli’s version of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” after a speech in Romford, 16 February.Local elections are famously unreliable when it comes to predicting general election results. But this time, with the government stumbling into every possible problem—or even creating its own—things might turn out differently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the photo essay Too good to be true on the road with Nigel Farage written in a natural conversational tone
BeginnerLevel Questions
Q What is this photo essay about
A Its a visual story following Nigel Farage on his political campaign trail The photos and captions try to show the contrast between his polished public image and the messy chaotic reality of his daytoday campaigning
Q Who made the photo essay
A It was created by photojournalist Tom Jenkins and writer John Harris for The Guardian newspaper
Q Why is it called Too good to be true
A The title is a bit sarcastic It suggests that Farages carefully crafted man of the people persona is a performance that doesnt match the less glamorous often awkward scenes captured in the photos
Q Is the essay for or against Nigel Farage
A Its not a direct opinion piece but its clearly critical By showing unflattering candid moments it subtly questions his authenticity and the smooth confident image he projects
Q Where did the photos take place
A The photos were taken at various campaign stops rallies and travel moments across the UK often in seaside towns and workingclass areas where Farage was trying to win support
IntermediateLevel Questions
Q Whats the main argument the photo essay makes without using words
A The argument is that Farages political success relies on a carefully managed brandthe bloke in the pub the straighttalkerthat falls apart when you look closely The photos highlight the awkward silences the empty chairs at events and the tired less heroic moments behind the scenes
Q How does the essay use contrast to make its point
A It constantly contrasts what Farage says with what the camera sees For example a photo might show him speaking passionately about the people while the next image shows him alone in a nearly empty room or looking uncomfortable with a small unenthusiastic crowd
Q What kind of common problems does the essay reveal about modern political campaigning
