Nigel Farage admits Reform UK need to win back voters after 'difficult summer' - as he blames 'staff incompetence' for party delivering its own 'Teal Budget' to a half-empty hall

Nigel Farage today admitted Reform UK needed to 'energise' voters again following a 'difficult summer' as he addressed a sparsely attended party event. The Reform leader said he was 'optimistic' despite a slew of controversies in recent months, which have coincided with a slide in his party's poll ratings. The latest Ipsos survey showed Reform are now 12 percentage points behind Labour , and are also trailing the second-placed Tories by four points. Mr Farage addressed questions about his party's fortunes as he helped unveil a rival 'teal' budget book ahead of this week's first Budget from Chancellor John Healey. There were plenty of empty seats at the event in Westminster on Monday afternoon, with the Reform leader blaming 'staff incompetence' for the poor attendance. Asked if voters were now falling out of love with Reform following their initial surge in the polls following the 2024 general election , Mr Farage replied: 'Markets are volatile. 'Markets go up, markets go down. We've had a difficult summer, of that there is no doubt. But are we optimistic - yeah. 'A lot of our voters are just sitting back on their heels at the moment. Our job is to energise them and get them back.' Nigel Farage today admitted Reform UK needed to 'energise' voters again following a 'difficult summer' as he addressed a sparsely-attended party event There were plenty of empty seats at the event in Westminster on Monday afternoon, with the Reform leader blaming 'staff incompetence' for the poor attendance Robert Jenrick, Reform's Treasury spokesman, had earlier used the event to set out his party's 64 job-creating policies ahead of Wednesday's Budget Your browser does not support iframes. The Reform leader added: 'And maybe a general election in which Europe and immigration are top of the agenda may be just the thing to do that.' It comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham floated Britain returning to EU free movement rules - or even rejoining the EU completely - after the next general election. Addressing the number of empty seats at Monday's event, Mr Farage continued: 'As for this hall, well, staff incompetence. 'It's all well and good advertising to businesses but, on Mondays, people who run businesses tend to be rather busy. 'No doubt many of those that are here, it's going to cost them a very great deal of money to have given up their day to come and visit us here in London. 'As you know, our party conferences etc. we get crowds like no other British political party has done in modern times.' Mr Farage also answered questions about the progress of a probe by the parliamentary standards commissionerm Daniel Greenberg. The investigation was opened in May following the Reform leader's failure to declare £5million gift from crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne prior to his election as MP for Clacton in 2024. Mr Farage told reporters: 'Oh this is a gem, this is. So under the rules, you can ask me any question you like, you can publish whatever you like. If I even acknowledge there's a standards investigation, I'm in breach. 'There are some who think that standards are now being used as a political tool. You may very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment. 'What a farce, I mean goodness gracious me. He'll judge at some point but I've no doubt he'll be fiercely independent, oh yes.' Robert Jenrick, Reform's Treasury spokesman, had earlier used the event to set out his party's 64 job-creating policies as part of an 'Economic Rescue Plan' ahead of Wednesday's Budget. These include support for the Rosebank oil field and other North Sea projects, along with a return to the wider use of imperial measurements and a ban on low-traffic neighbourhoods. Mr Jenrick said: 'Everything reported so far suggests this will be a 'manana budget', with John Healey dodging the tough decisions our country needs. 'We can't continue like this. The country can't wait 10 years for Andy Burnham to work out a plan – we need action now. 'Reform would bring forward more than 60 job-creating measures in our first Budget to kickstart the economy. 'These common-sense policies cost the taxpayer nothing – it's a no-brainer. 'Reform UK has the plan to make the economy work again: spend less, tax less, borrow less and finally put the British people first.' Responding to Monday's event, a Conservative Party spokesman said: 'It must be cringingly embarrassing for Farage and Jenrick to be forced to address a half-empty room. 'At her pre-Budget press conference, Kemi Badenoch addressed a room of over 300 passionate activists. 'Reform have already stolen numerous policies that the Conservatives have previously announced for their 'rescue plan'. 'Now it looks as if they need to steal some of our activists to fill a room.'