Farage pursues global statesman image, distances from Trump amid funding scandal

Nigel Farage is trying to present Reform UK as ready to govern by distancing himself from Donald Trump, forging a high-profile cross‑European alliance with France’s Jordan Bardella and backing a migratio n deal, while a funding scandal that saw aides including James Orr step down threatens to derail the effort. The move aims to reassure swing voters wary of Trump and the Iran issue, but questions linger about foreign ties and whether Farage’s team can weather the controversy ahead of a possibly near-term UK election.