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Feature

Our only bias is in favour of truth and honesty and against those who lie and deceive

By Mark Mansfield
A screen grab leaked from an internal Reform UK WhatsApp group

Martin Shipton

The media is under attack in Wales and Britain as a whole in a way that is unprecedented - and we at Nation.Cymru are in the midst of it.

Reform UK and its leader Nigel Farage hate being put under scrutiny, and they turn nasty when they are held to account.

They refuse to respond to our enquiries and - as leaks to us from within the party have proved - hold us in contempt.

We don’t care what they think of us. But it should be a matter of serious concern that the party that leads the Britain-wide polls wants to pick and choose which media outlets it will engage with.

They accuse us of bias, and of singling them out for criticism. Our only bias is in favour of truth and honesty and against those who lie and deceive.

We're not intimidated by them or their pet barrister, as they discovered in recent weeks. And our record shows that we will report on all political parties without fear or favour. Last year we took the lead in exposing and ultimately bringing down a Labour First Minister. And Conservative and Plaid Cymru politicians have had reason to dread negative headlines too.

Level-headed politicians understand that journalists will scrutinise their statements and actions, but Reform don’t get that.

If they have recently been the subject of a succession of negative stories, that’s entirely down to the low calibre of their politicians and officials.

The party’s campaign in the Caerphilly by-election was an absolute disgrace. They went into the constituency following the tragic death of Hefin David with the deliberate intention of winning votes by stirring up racial hatred.

Caerphilly has the smallest proportion of residents born outside the UK in the whole of Wales, but that didn’t matter to Reform. They wanted to nurture discontent and grievances - a technique mastered by Hitler in Germany.

Gas

No wonder there have been multiple reports from pupils who were contemporaries of Farage at his fee-paying school in London that he behaved like a Nazi youth, making grossly offensive comments to Jewish boys and simulating the sound of escaping gas.

The Guardian - a longstanding bête noire media outlet for the far-right - has performed a public service in assembling a weight of evidence against Farage from his schooldays.

Coupled with the highly damaging revelations about Reform’s ex-leader in Wales and Farage groupie Nathan Gill, now serving a ten and a half year jail sentence for taking bribes from the Russians, it's no wonder that the party is in a panic.

That’s clear to anyone who saw Farage’s unhinged attack on the BBC after a reporter from the UK’s leading broadcaster asked him a pertinent question about his teenage antics.

He sought to compare his own disgusting comments while at school - which he sometimes denies and sometimes nearly admits - with the fact that the BBC ran a weekly light entertainment TV show called the Black and White Minstrel Show in which white singers put on blackface.

It may have been crass - and there’s no way it would be seen as acceptable today - but the stupidity of it is hardly on a level with telling people that Hitler was right and deserved praise for murdering Jews in gas chambers.

Venom

Farage is full of venom for the BBC, when he should be grateful to the broadcaster for all the coverage, much of it uncritical, that it’s given him over the years. His response to the BBC journalist showed him at his Trumpian worst - acting the bully by dishing out insults to those who ask him awkward questions.

We know the kind of broadcaster Farage favours - one where a far right interviewer feeds leading questions to a far right commentator and they nod in harmony to the answer: that sounds like GB News, the outfit that provides him with one of his many highly paid side jobs.

The fact that Reform is leading the polls when its policy cupboard is bare, racism is its USP and those flocking to be its candidates are a combination of far right pub bores and clapped out former Tory MPs is a serious indictment of contemporary Britain.

Here in Wales Reform is in contention to be the biggest party in the Senedd after next May’s election. Yet they have no leader, no candidates and no policies. All of this demonstrates that they don’t want to be scrutinised. Appointing a party leader, with Farage the Führer making the choice, as he previously did with Gill; selecting candidates and drafting policies gives too much ammunition to journalists who are not onside. The game, therefore, is to make such decisions as late as possible.

Reform and its outriders - who unsurprisingly tend to have skeletons in their cupboard - has been desperately pleading with its own insiders not to give information to Nation.Cymru.

Leaked messages

This comes after leaked messages showed their director of communications had referred to the prominent Welsh journalist Will Hayward as a “cunt” and to Nation.Cymru writers as “vile nats”.

It doesn’t take much imagination to think of how a Reform government would behave towards those journalists and news outlets it sees as enemies.

All the time, of course, they’ll be bleating about how freedom of speech is being curtailed in Britain for their sort of people. That’s the sort of person whose free speech consists of racial insults and crackpot conspiracy theories, or who demands the right to advocate burning down asylum hotels.

There are people in Reform who have already provided us with stories that expose how nasty a party it is, and we expect the leaks to keep coming.

We encourage those who may have joined the party out of misplaced idealism and now feel uncomfortable or worse to get in touch with any pertinent information that would cause Reform embarrassment.

In five months’ time, the people of Wales will be electing a new Senedd. Contrary to the wishes of Reform itself, we want them to be as well informed as possible about what would be in store for them if the party were to form a government.

It’s a frightening prospect, but it’s better to be frightened before it happens when there’s still time for preventative action to take place.

In the meantime, we promise to keep you informed about Reform and the other contenders.

Independent journalism in Wales is under increasing attack from political extremists and bad-faith actors who want to drown out or discredit our reporting. Your support can help protect Nation.Cymru and ensure we remain a strong, fearless voice for Wales. Click here to help.

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37 comments

Richard Jenkins

Rhisiart Ap Siencyn Be warned! Be aware! Truthful, critical, investigative Welsh journalism is under attack from the right wing racist nutcases. I’ve had my differences with Nation Cymru but in this I stand with them! So, should you? Their attacks on Will Hayward reveal their intention! Don’t let them win. Stand up for a free Welsh press! Our only bias is in favour of truth and honesty and against those who lie and deceive NATION.CYMRU Our only bias is in favour of truth and honesty and against those who lie and deceive This can't be combined with what you've already added to your post. Post settings Post preview Be warned! Be aware! Truthful, critical, investigative Welsh journalism is under attack from the right wing racist nutcases. I’ve had my differences with Nation Cymru but in this I stand with them! So, should you? Their attacks on Will Hayward reveal their intention! Don’t let them win. Stand up for a free Welsh press!

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Smae

I'm not necessarily sure that going back to someone's school days is a good idea. We've all made mistakes, some of them not well intentioned... but by making these mistakes and coming to reflect on them and change their minds about their choices is basically a rite of passage for any young person. Heck it still happens to many thirty, forty or heck sixty years later, but it's much more prevalent in the younger age range. They are also typically mistakes that you would never admit to and take them your grave, denying all evidence of their existence, such is how embarrassing they are, especially when you realize that they've actually hurt people and that was not your intent, it could even be absolute shame. Farage has much more recent material to draw from that I don't understand the need to go way back when. It wouldn't be admissible in court and the press shouldn't engage in dirty journalism. Challenge Farage on the policies he advocates for, his voting record, his campaign speeches, even tweets since he first became an MP or Councillor or like at the beginning of this article leaks of their current messaging apps. If you can't win even with all of that (and there is a LOT)... then maybe you should consider the reading age of the target audience, because at that point it's not the journalist not doing their job.

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Alwyn Evans

It’s because Farage is still the nasty weasel that he always has been. Weasels, like leopards, don’t change ( even if weasels have no spots!)

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David J.

Unfair on weasels.

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Richard Lice

The problem is it's continued well past his schooldays He is what he is, Sked the founder of UKIP labelled him a "Dimwitted racist" He made no mistake when recruiting Laura Anne Jones. in 2025 He simply ignored the fact she was under investigation at the time now suspended for her racial slur He couldn't care a toss

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Amir

Fine, just apologise, really apologise, condemn those past poor despicable behaviours and say that is no longer who I am and prove it. But, he won't and he can't. Why not? Because that is still who he is and always will be.

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Amir

What recent material are you referring to? Garage has been very careful with how he spouts his filth. He just poses it as a question.

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Jeff

Challenge him on what he is. We know what he is. We know what he will bring to the UK, hate and division, gangs on the streets hunting people. Vigilantes. Targeted abuse. Seems this leopard never changed his spots.

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Paul ap Gareth

Farage is just facing the same scrutiny as everyone else. The media rake over every politicians lives. They found a video of Sunak saying he didn't have any working class friends. Starmer's schooling was examined when he introduced VAT on tuition fees. It was even reported that Starmer bought a field so his mum can stable donkeys for a sanctuary. Truss' parents political beliefs were also examined.

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David J.

I remember laughing at racist jokes when I was 13 or 14, but by the time I got to 16 I realised how disgusting that was. Farage continued his vile behaviour up until the time he left Dulwich at 18, and everything he has done or said since merely confirms that he is a nasty little racist, and will always be. Had he apologised for his previous attitudes and behaviour, you might have a point; as he has (in true right-wing/fascist style) doubled down, refused to apologize, and blamed others, you don't.

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Amir

Reform are deformed and especially without garage at the helm. But now the racist and antisemitic leader has been exposed by his former school mates and he is bitterly unrepentant. He is clearly not a leader for Wales.

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Chris Hale

Excellent article, very much to the point. Reform Ltd wants to have a subservient and controlled media in Wales, who do not ask awkward questions about policy or leadership. In this they are keen to follow the lead of their demagogue idols and financiers, such as Trump, Putin and the Broligarchs of social media. At what point are they intending to start telling us what they have to offer the People of Wales, to revitalise our economy and to ensure that the resources of Wales are used for the betterment of our daily lives? When are they going to tell us who their owner Farage is intending to appoint as his “Reichsprotektor”, to rule over us on his behalf, should they manage to win the Senedd election, or cobble together a coalition with the Conservatives?

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David Richards

If youre upsetting farage and co you must be doing something right! And an illustration of the poverty and timidity of the british media at the moment is that apart from yourselves - and the guardian - no one is holding farage and his party of racist cranks to account? PS. with 96 candidates to find for the Senedd elections theres bound to be some very juicy material for you among that lot.

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Ann

David Richards - They don't actually have to find 96 candidates. Each party can field up to 6 in each constituency. However for any party to get a majority in the Senedd they would need to get at least 3 places in each plus a couple more to be safe, so they actually need to get just over 50 candidates across the board. That's still a lot of people for them to find and nominate at this stage when other parties have already named their candidates who are becoming known in their constituencies, especially when some are already sitting MSs.

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J Jones

Extremists (from both sides) rely on creating a myth that they are the norm for normal people to support, otherwise they fail to get elected. Politicians in these polarised times are often the lowest of the low, with no shame for their evil deeds. Their only shame is in being caught and exposed is if it means their removal from office - the reason why they hate being exposed by good investigative reporting. So keep up the good work Martin and Nation.Cymru

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Tucker

Name me one extremist from the left who spouts vile racist comments.

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Richard Lice

Keep up the good work.Very happy to chip in the odd Tenner You could do with one of those Nomad capitalists to bung in the odd £1m Some rich Welsh exiles who would fiercely object to a slash and burn merchant like Farage taking us over His only interest is to use Wales as a stepping stone for his personal ambitions

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Jon w

Billionaire stooges and english conmen trying to manipulate our political discourse. Well done Nation not bowing down to their threats

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John Ellis

Encouraging to read here such a vigorous riposte to the the vile Trumpian Farage faction. Seems to me that their supporters divide into two factions: the fools, who are comparatively blameless because they've been gulled by the combination of fear-mongering and the honeyed words of Reform, and the ghouls who, like the imprisoned Gill and Farage himself, are the very dregs of our politics in these islands. I anticipate that they may well do better than they deserve in our elections next May, but at least our electoral system makes it rather unlikely that they'll be able to lead our Welsh government.

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David J.

"Fools and ghouls". I like that, and I will be using it in future! I so hope you are right about the election result to come.

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Ianto

Vile nats, indeed. He must have been looking in the mirror at the time.

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Amir

And they still keep finding the type and keeping attracting the filth and their vetting process is non existent. Ian Cooper, former Staffordshire county council reform leader, is just one person who was outed by love not hate.

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Alwyn

Worrying, but then NC does delete any posts with a whiff of anti plaid sentiment!

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David J.

Apart from the ones I regularly see on here, obviously.

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Amir

Well garage is just such a satirical character. Hopefully soon to be confined to the realms of fiction.

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Amir

He does agree with the antisemitism of Hitler. If not, why make the hissing sounds of the gas chambers in Auschwitz?

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Fi yn unig

Thank you so much again Martin and all at NC for your fabulous and crucial work and more broadly, I’m proud to recognise our own Welsh political correspondent Gareth Lewis whose pinning down of Farij froze him like a rabbit in the headlights and this needs to be shown over and over again. He was finished in that moment and he will be yet.

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Jeff

farages backers in the states have a new Whitehouse security paper out. They consider any EU entity not aligned to them a threat and will meddle. They are now on the same page as Putin. farage will have backing from there, the press need to out it. But farage can apologise, and until he does he counts as racist who owns a company called reform. no way his followers do not know that now, he harbours racists and violent men who beat women up. Also a big player with a massive bit of self harm that was brexit. His talent is wrecking. Just look at the state of the councils he has, they are failing. Keep the spotlight on this grifter. He is a nasty bit of work. He doesn't get 9 million for nothing from an investor linked to a crypto that also benefits russia. Starmers suits eh....

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Jeff

Has farage apologised? Has he hell. Presents a problem for him. I expect he will when the optics hit rock bottom in his world but too late then. Did he protect Pochin? Yep. Remember what she said?

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Egon

All he had to do was say he's ashamed of the person he was then, apologise unreservedly for anyone he hurt, explain how his lived experience since has completely changed him as a person and ask to be given a second chance. Instead he called it bants.

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Jeff

That means apologising for being racist and his followers wont like that.

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James Downs

Where can I buy a "vile nat" T-shirt/tote bag please?

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Garycymru

I think some of the Welsh souvenir makers would actually jump on this!

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Readthesmallprint

And in a parallel attack on any prospect of scrutiny and accountability the Reform leader of Worcestershire County Council has sent a cease and desist letter to a local Labour politician demanding that he not even mention her name in public. I wonder what she thinks about the press

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Adrian

There's a Welsh former Marine who was arrested for something he posted online. He was in custody for 17 days, and uncle-tagged when eventually released on bail. He refused to please guilty, went to court, and was found no guilty by the jury - in 17 minutes. He's now been banned from coaching his own daughter's football team by the safeguarding team because of his legally-held political views. Not one mention in this rag though. Have a guess why!

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Che Guevara's Fist

Boring whatabouttery. I'm glad this "rag" is living in your head rent-free. You sound like an angry little right winger. You going to be okay there, Skippy? Bless.

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Adam

Like it or not, extremism around children is a child protection issue. Any indoctrination, be it religious, political or any other kind is child abuse. This man should be kept well away from minors.

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And in a parallel attack on any prospect of scrutiny and accountability the Reform leader of Worcestershire County Council has sent a cease and desist letter to a local Labour politician demanding that he not even mention her name in public...

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