Poll: Many Blame Farage for Riots

A recent poll indicates that half of the UK public holds Nigel Farage “personally responsible” for the riots that erupted following the tragic stabbing of three young girls in Southport. The right-wing MP faced backlash after posting a video in which he accused police of concealing information and propagated claims that the suspect was under surveillance. His comments came amidst a wave of violence, which he condemned while suggesting a perception of “two-tier policing” was fueling public unrest. The Savanta poll, reported by HuffPost UK, shows that Farage is closely followed by Tommy Robinson, the former leader of the English Defence League, who was blamed by 54% of respondents. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was cited by 40% of those surveyed. Despite the focus on these figures, a significant 82% of adults believe that the rioters themselves are primarily responsible for the chaos, with over 70% attributing blame to far-right organizations and 73% to social media companies. The survey also sheds light on public perceptions regarding the root causes of the riots. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) linked the unrest to the UK’s migration policy, while 59% identified the Southport killings as a critical trigger. To mitigate future incidents, 37% of those polled called for harsh legal repercussions for violent protesters, and 30% emphasized the need to address public concerns surrounding migration. The Independent has reached out to Reform UK for further comment.