Nigel Farage has said he lacks his family's backing to remain in politics, describing a "difficult" period during which his loved ones would prefer he quit. Speaking at Reform UK's party conference in Birmingham, the party leader insisted he had personally never come close to stepping down, despite conceding he had experienced "very thoughtful moments" amid the strain. His remarks come as Reform faces renewed controversy over party donations, adding pressure to a leader already under scrutiny following a turbulent summer.

The comments followed Farage's resignation as an MP in July, which triggered a by-election in Clacton after weeks of questions over his finances, including a £5million gift from a Thailand-based crypto billionaire that he said funded his personal security. He went on to win the by-election, but Reform has since been engulfed in a fresh row after two senior aides were suspended when undercover filming appeared to show them discussing how to disguise foreign donations, a potential criminal offence that has been reported to police. Farage denied any wrongdoing, dismissed claims from aide Dan Jukes as "loose pub talk", and predicted further investigations into the party in the months ahead.