Elham Asaad Buaras
Just over half of Britons hold the Reform UK leader Nigel Farage personally “responsible” for the riots that erupted across the UK earlier last month.
According to the poll for HuffPost UK, 51 per cent of the public blame the MP for Clacton for the unrest, which resulted in numerous arrests and severe prison sentences. Farage is closely followed by former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson, who is blamed by 54 per cent of respondents. Billionaire Elon Musk is next, with 44 per cent assigning him some responsibility, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer is held accountable by 40 per cent of those surveyed.
Farage has come under intense scrutiny following a video he posted shortly after the tragic killing of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport. In the video, he claimed that the police were concealing the truth and echoed false rumours that the alleged perpetrator was under surveillance by security services.
This misinformation contributed to a vigil for the victims—each under ten years old—turning violent and fuelling far-right riots across the nation. Farage has since acknowledged that he propagated false information circulating on social media, including claims from figures like Andrew Tate. He has defended his actions by insisting he was only trying to find out “the truth.”
The poll, conducted from August 9 to 11, with 2,237 participants, revealed that 64 per cent of respondents believe the police handled the riots effectively. This result came despite accusations of “two-tier” policing, notably from figures like Farage. Just over half (52 per cent) felt that Starmer handled the crisis well, while 38 per cent thought he did not perform well.
The poll revealed strong opinions on the causes and solutions for the recent civil unrest. A significant 82 per cent of British adults place the blame squarely on those who participated in the riots. Additionally, 75 per cent hold far-right organisations responsible, and 73 per cent point the finger at social media companies.
Nearly two-thirds of the public (64 per cent) believe the UK’s immigration policy was a key factor in the riots, with 3 in 5 (59 per cent) attributing the unrest to the killings in Southport.
To prevent future riots, 37 per cent of UK adults advocate for swiftly charging and sentencing violent protesters to serve as a deterrent while 30 per cent think addressing immigration concerns is crucial. Only 10 per cent believe tackling social inequality will effectively prevent further unrest.
Photo: Nigel Farage (Credit: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC)
