Farage and Jenrick address half-empty hall at Reform UK's pre-Budget speech
Nigel Farage and Robert Jenrick presented Reform UK's "economic rescue plan" at Lindley Hall in Westminster on Monday, before Chancellor John Healey's Budget. Rows of empty seats drew mockery from Labour and the Conservatives, and Farage blamed "staff incompetence".
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Nigel Farage and Robert Jenrick presented Reform UK's pre-Budget "economic rescue plan" at Lindley Hall in Westminster on Monday 26 October, ahead of Chancellor John Healey's Budget on Wednesday. Daily MirrorL “Mr Jenrick, his Shadow Chancellor, deliver Reform’s so-called economic rescue plan on the floor below.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Evening StandardN “struggled to attract many supporters to Monday’s pre-Budget speech at Lindley Hall in Westminster.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Mixed · 2The hall had many empty seats. Both outlets report that guests who had attended were moved to seats behind the podium so the room would look full on live broadcasts. The Evening Standard attributes this to "reports". Daily MirrorL “guests who had attended were moved to seats behind the podium to make it appear the hall was full” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Evening StandardN “According to reports, guests who had attended were moved to seats behind the podium” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Mixed · 2Asked about the attendance, Farage blamed "staff incompetence". Farage said business owners tend to be busy on Mondays, and said those who did come had spent a great deal of money travelling to London. Evening StandardN “"As for this hall, well, staff incompetence," Mr Farage told reporters.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “on Mondays, people who run businesses tend to be rather busy.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Left · 1The Daily Mirror reports that Farage was seen pacing a balcony and appearing to sigh while Jenrick spoke, and was filmed not laughing at Jenrick's joke about watching Cash in the Attic instead of the Budget. Daily MirrorL “was seen pacing around a balcony and appearing to sigh as he watched Mr Jenrick” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Left · 1According to the Mirror, the proposals include reversing the ban on new oil and gas drilling, barring consideration of carbon emissions in individual planning applications, abolishing the energy profits levy, scrapping the Renters' Rights Act and revoking the future homes standard. Daily MirrorL “Reform wants to reverse a ban on new drilling for oil and gas, prohibit consideration of carbon emissions in individual planning applications and abolish the energy profits levy.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Left · 1Simon Francis of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition told the Mirror the package was a "wish list" for fossil fuel campaigners and would not cut bills. Farage also defended Reform's plan to cut capital gains tax on cryptocurrency from 24% to 10%, saying he wanted a rate "that makes people declare what their income is". Daily MirrorL “branded the package a "wish list" for fossil fuel campaigners”“"I want a tax rate that makes people declare what their income is."” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Mixed · 2Rivals mocked the turnout. A Conservative spokesman called it "cringingly embarrassing" and said Kemi Badenoch had addressed over 300 activists at her pre-Budget press conference. Labour minister Ann Turley compared blaming staff to "blaming the postman because nobody sent you a birthday card", and a Labour source joked about "crickets in the room". Evening StandardN “At her pre-Budget press conference, Kemi Badenoch addressed a room of over 300 passionate activists.”“Blaming staff because nobody turned up is like blaming the postman because nobody sent you a birthday card.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “We can only hope the crickets in the room enjoyed it as much as Nigel clearly did.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2Both outlets link the event to Reform's polling. An Ipsos poll at the weekend put Labour on 32%, the Conservatives on 24% and Reform on 20%. The Standard says Reform has slipped behind Labour since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister in July. Evening StandardN “The poll by Ipsos put Labour on 32%, the Tories on 24% and Reform on 20%.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “another sign of Reform’s sliding popularity” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2The Standard adds background on Reform's recent difficulties: Farage's summer by-election in Clacton after questions over a £5 million donation and a parliamentary probe, and an ITV undercover report on Reform activists' remarks, which Reform has reported to police. The Mirror notes the party received £72 million in two £36m sums from crypto billionaires last month. Evening StandardN “A sting by ITV, broadcast earlier this month, showed Reform activists, including councillors in London, making racist remarks”“Reform has since said it has reported the broadcaster to the police over its undercover reporting.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MirrorL “whose party received a record £72million in two £36m sums from crypto billionaires last month” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Treats the speech as a failure: a "limp package of rehashed plans" delivered to empty seats, with Farage visibly bored and Reform's popularity sinking.
- Emphasis
- Farage's body language, the empty hall, Labour and Conservative put-downs, criticism of the energy and housing policies from a fuel poverty campaigner, and Reform's crypto donations and tax policy.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives no Reform voice beyond Farage's remarks on the hall and crypto tax, and does not mention the Clacton by-election or the ITV sting.
- Charged language
- “limp package of rehashed plans”“falls flat”“miserable turnout”“scrambling”
- For example
-
“set out a limp package of rehashed plans ahead of John Healey's Budget” — Daily Mirror
“The miserable turnout marked another sign of Reform’s sliding popularity” — Daily Mirror
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Reports the empty seats mainly as an episode of rivals mocking Farage, then sets it against Reform's slide in the polls and recent controversies.
- Emphasis
- Reactions from the Conservatives, Labour minister Ann Turley and Labour; the by-election and the ITV sting as context.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Says little about the content of Reform's policy proposals and does not mention the crypto tax or the criticism of the energy policies.
- Charged language
- “mocked”“staff incompetence”
- For example
-
“Nigel Farage has been mocked by his political rivals after the Reform UK leader addressed rows of empty seats” — Evening Standard
“Labour and the Tories used the images of empty seats in the hall to mock Mr Farage.” — Evening Standard
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Farage and Jenrick spoke at Lindley Hall, Westminster, on Monday 26 October, ahead of Healey's Budget.
- The hall had many empty seats and guests were reportedly moved behind the podium.
- Farage blamed "staff incompetence" and busy business owners.
- An Ipsos poll put Labour on 32%, the Conservatives on 24% and Reform on 20%.
- Labour and the Conservatives mocked the turnout.
Nigel Farage person
Farage blamed "staff incompetence" for the empty hall and said business owners are busy on Mondays. Farage said Reform's party conferences draw crowds "like no other British political party". He defended the crypto tax cut as a way to make people declare income.
“our party conferences etc, we get crowds like no other British political party has done in modern times.” — Daily Mirror
“"As for this hall, well, staff incompetence," Mr Farage told reporters.” — Evening Standard
Robert Jenrick person
Jenrick, described as Reform's Shadow Chancellor (the Standard says Treasury spokesman), delivered the economic plan and joked he might watch Cash in the Attic instead of the Budget.
“his Reform colleague joked that he might watch former BBC show Cash in the Attic” — Daily Mirror
Reform UK party
Reform UK is presenting an "economic rescue plan" of energy, planning and housing changes ahead of the Budget, while its poll rating sits at 20% in the Ipsos survey cited.
“Reform wants to reverse a ban on new drilling for oil and gas” — Daily Mirror
“The poll by Ipsos put Labour on 32%, the Tories on 24% and Reform on 20%.” — Evening Standard
John Healey person
Chancellor Healey's Budget on Wednesday is the backdrop; the coverage quotes no statement from Healey.
“ahead of John Healey’s Budget on Wednesday” — Daily Mirror
Left1 article
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Nigel Farage and Robert Jenrick face rows of empty seats as big speech falls flat
Critical Presents the speech as a flop, stressing empty seats, Farage's apparent boredom and criticism of the policies.
Centre1 article
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Nigel Farage mocked for rows of empty seats at pre-Budget speech in London
Mixed Reports the mockery from Labour and the Conservatives and sets the event against Reform's poll slide and controversies, with little comment of its own.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 26 Oct 16:34 First Daily MirrorL Nigel Farage and Robert Jenrick face rows of empty seats as big speech falls flat
- 27 Oct 11:41 +19h 7m Evening StandardN Nigel Farage mocked for rows of empty seats at pre-Budget speech in London
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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