Nigel Farage to name his first ever defence spokesman and pledges to eliminate 'wokery' from Imperial War Museum

Published: 17:41 EDT, 31 October 2026 | Updated: 18:19 EDT, 31 October 2026 Nigel Farage will this week attempt to revive Reform UK's poll ratings by appointing his first ever defence spokesman – and pledging to eliminate 'wokery' from the Imperial War Museum.The Reform UK leader, who relaxes in his spare time by taking tours of First World War battlefields, is planning to identify his new hire on Thursday.It comes amid an ongoing row about the Government's lack of funding for the Armed Forces, with even a senior Labour figure calling promises in last week's Budget 'lamentably delayed'.Despite denials from Prime Minister Andy Burnham that he is planning to call a snap general election, Mr Farage is poised for an announcement at any point – and expects the state of the Armed Forces to be a central issue in the campaign.Reform's poll ratings have started to sink in recent months as Mr Farage has battled multiple political problems, including questions about the party's financing by cryptocurrency billionaires.He says he has the Imperial War Museum (IWM) in his sights after it decided to stop displaying Lord Ashcroft's collection of Victoria and George Crosses.Under a Reform Government, the leadership of the museum and other 'woke' publicly owned military heritage sites would be replaced. The board of trustees of the IWM is appointed by the Prime Minister and certain government departments.Lord Ashcroft argued in The Mail on Sunday earlier this year that the museum, which was established in 1917 to commemorate the sacrifices of the First World War, should be renamed the 'Imperial Woke Museum', because it was 'in the grip of a woke culture with no real interest in the Armed Forces'. Nigel Farage will this week attempt to revive Reform UK's poll ratings by appointing his first ever defence spokesman – and pledging to eliminate 'wokery' from the Imperial War Museum A senior Labour figure called funding promises for military spending in last week's Budget 'lamentably delayed'He had intended to leave his £70million medal collection to the museum in his will but has moved them to the National Army Museum after the IWM trustees told him in 2024 they didn't want to display the medals any longer. The exhibition closed in 2025.In September, a retired soldier revealed his shock at an exchange with a staff member at the museum's gift shop when his 11-year-old daughter asked if there would be a veterans' discount.The former serviceman told the Mail: 'The woman at the till said, 'We have nothing to do with the military – that's not who we are.'The museum said it was 'very sorry to hear about this visitor's experience' and apologised 'if he or his daughter felt unwelcome during their visit'.Mr Farage told the MoS: 'They just get worse. Our past is not shameful.' A Reform spokesman said: 'The decision by the IWM to close the Lord Ashcroft Gallery showed its disdain for gallantry and raises wider questions about its attitude to the history of the nation and its support for military veterans. In government, Reform will replace the current leadership of the IWM and any other 'woke' publicly owned military heritage sites. Reform will create statutory obligations and duties via amended legislation and amended Royal Charters to ensure due respect is paid to the heritage of our Armed Forces.'Caro Howell, the IWM's director general, said after her appointment in 2023: 'I look forward to developing its reputation for reaching new audiences across all its sites, through bold, inclusive and global storytelling.'In 2024, the IWM spent more than £100,000 on diversity consultants to help with 'embedding diversity' in its exhibits.And in 2021 it apologised after it arranged a two-minute rap performance at a remembrance event which included claims Winston Churchill had a major role in the Bengal famine in 1943.