FARAGE’S Reform UK is often portrayed as a patriotic, anti-immigrant party focused on controlling borders and “taking back” Britain. But a closer look at the party’s connections and financial dealings reveals something quite different.

With the demise of the empire, Britain’s capitalist class divided between those who saw their future in the EU, others that wanted to throw in their lot with US imperialism to divide up the world and those locked into local communities in the small business, farming and fishing sectors.

Reform UK represents those tied to the US, but its base is very much in the small business sector.

One of the most telling signs of this transatlantic relationship is the involvement of CapitalHQ, a US-based PR firm with close ties to Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s former adviser.

Bannon, a key figure in right-wing populism, has worked with Nigel Farage for years, and CapitalHQ has been working hard on his behalf, apparently for free.

Farage, the MP for Clacton, has made multiple trips to the US in his very short time in the Commons, signalling that his political influences lie more with Washington than with Clacton-on-Sea.

His loud declarations of patriotism may appeal to many in Britain, but it’s worth noting that those who shout the loudest about nationalism often have foreign strings attached.

For instance, Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists in the 1930s, was largely funded by Mussolini’s Italy. Similarly, Farage’s Reform UK, while promoting itself as a champion of British sovereignty, appears to be quietly funded by wealthy interests with strong connections to the politics of US corporations.

This connection to American money raises serious questions about Reform UK’s agenda. The party, far from being a one-issue group focused on immigration, is pushing for the privatisation of public services. It has expressed a strong interest in opening Britain’s public sector — particularly healthcare and defence — to US-based corporations, including insurance, pharmaceutical, and military companies.

For all its rhetoric about sovereignty, the party seems eager to make Britain more dependent on US big business. Reform UK’s origins trace back to Ukip and the Brexit Party, in both of which Farage was a central figure.

While Reform UK claims credit for helping to deliver Brexit, the party’s vision of independence is starkly different from what many Brexit supporters may have imagined.

Rather than freeing Britain from the control of Brussels to stand on its own, Reform UK seems intent on aligning Britain’s policies with the neoliberal agenda of US corporate interests.

Farage’s financial dealings, now subject to closer scrutiny as he serves as an MP, further highlight the murky waters in which Reform UK operates.

Reports suggest that CapitalHQ has provided significant services to Farage without payment, raising suspicions about who is truly funding his political endeavours. The firm even covered his hotel bill during the latest trip to the US — an unusual move for a party claiming to be fighting for the “little guy” in Britain.

It’s not just CapitalHQ that’s raising eyebrows. Christopher Harborne, a British cryptocurrency investor, has been covering large expenses for Farage, including funding for his appearance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Cryptocurrency has become a hot topic in Trump circles with his family investing heavily, and its role in Farage’s financial network only adds to the sense of US influence on Reform UK’s activities.

Bannon’s role in European right-wing politics is another critical part of the story. Back in 2018, just before Trump’s visit to Britain, Bannon worked with one-time Farage researcher Raheem Kassam, to create “The Movement.”

The aim was to channel funds and buy influence for forces opposing EU federalism and greater integration and promote privatisation.

Bannon hosted a meeting of far-right leaders, including a high representative of Marine Le Pen, Farage, and Boris Johnson. Bannon’s influence on these leaders was significant.

Reform UK’s foreign policy stance further exposes its contradictions. The party’s manifesto from general election in July called for increased military spending and strong support for Nato, all while proposing significant cuts to local government services.

The call for more defence spending, much of which benefits US-based arms manufacturers, reveals the party’s alignment with US foreign policy interests.

Reform UK’s position on Nato ties Britain more closely to the US, further cementing the country’s role in serving US imperialist ambitions. Not much in the way of independence there.

Ultimately, Reform UK faces a fundamental dilemma: it cannot serve two masters. The party’s rhetoric of serving the British people is at odds with its financial and political entanglements with US corporate interests and political strategists. Its claim to represent the working people of Britain rings hollow.

Labour movement campaigners should do everything they can to widen the gap between its voters, members and its leadership clique. Just shouting “racist” at Farage won’t change a thing. We have to unmask that party, have the discussion in workplaces and communities about what it really stands for. It is a political struggle that can be won.

Next time: Farage stands proudly before the Union Jack, it’s worth asking: who is he really serving? For a party that claims to champion British sovereignty, Reform UK’s loyalties seem far more complicated than its flag-waving suggests.