Mr Farage and Reform UK are assembling an election war chest (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage has begged supporters to throw his Reform UK party £20 to help it topple the “dictators” who cancelled the forthcoming local elections.
Labour has axed nine council ballots as part of a reorganisation of local government in areas Mr Farage had targeted, sparking fury in his party and among voters.
May local elections in Sussex, Essex, Thurrock, Hampshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey, and the Isle of Wight will no longer take place as planned.
Mr Farage, 60, is now assembling a war chest to fight what remains of May’s local elections with a view to a full-scale assault on Downing Street in 2029
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And in a message to supporters he said: “I can hardly believe I am writing this, but Labour and the have colluded to cancel the votes of 5.5 million people on May 1. There is only one reason for this decision: Westminster is absolutely terrified of the rise of Reform. We are now leading in the polls and the establishment will do anything to stop us.”
Despite the blow the political maverick has his sights set on town halls still up for grabs and in a rallying cry said: “Reaching the remaining 15 million voters is now even more important than ever.
“Reform UK must now fight in the areas that are going ahead even harder than ever before.
“And to help us win in Kent, County Durham, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and elsewhere, we need to build a war chest.
“Please donate £20 to our campaign fund and help us send a message to the establishment because only dictators cancel elections.”
Reform UK’s new treasurer is British billionaire luxury property developer Nick Candy, husband of actress Holly Valance, with well-heeled party backers also including Charles James Spencer-Churchill, the 12th Duke of Marlborough.
The rise of Reform UK comes as a new poll revealed one in five who voted Conservative at the General Election in July would now vote for former MEP Mr Farage’s party.
The YouGov audit puts Reform UK on 25%, with Labour in second on 24% and the on 21%.