Nigel Farage makes outlandish claim of Islamists 'embedded' within UK establishment

Nigel Farage has a reputation for making outlandish claims. But the Reform leader went further than usual on Tuesday, declaring in a speech that Islamists are "embedded" not just in Britain's political and education systems, but also in its police force.

Farage made the proclamation in a speech at the launch of Reform's new Jewish Alliance group.

The right-wing politician, whose party is dominating in the polls, claimed that unnamed "senior intelligence sources" had told him the Muslim Brotherhood was "deeply embedded in several of the structures of our country".

Farage registered what he called "knowing nods" around the room - perhaps from others briefed by the same "senior intelligence sources".

He then expanded on the intelligence he had received: "I'm talking about the education system.

"I'm talking about politics. I'm talking about the police force." But presumably not MI5.

Farage did not become anymore specific about how and in what ways the country's politics, education system and police force had all been infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood. 

Instead he claimed, in broad terms, that Britain was in the grip of "rife and rampant sectarianism".

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He added that this was "terrifying", dispelling any potential suspicions that he might approve of it.

Islamists, he informed the crowd, have been "allowed to dig themselves very, very deep into the British structure".

And so Reform's Jewish Alliance was "sadly, deeply, deeply necessary".

Not everyone in the audience agreed with his analysis. Multiple Jewish activists heckled him.

"My mother didn't fight the Mosley fascists in Cable Street for this!" shouted one woman.

"An attack on one minority is an attack on all."

Farage did not respond to her statement. 

UAE relations

The Reform leader has recently taken significant inspiration in his proclamations about Islamism from the United Arab Emirates.

In late January Farage was heard praising UAE officials at a private party in Dubai for banning the Muslim Brotherhood.

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"We have a lot to learn from you, my dear sirs," Farage said, addressing the Emirati officials in attendance. 

Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the UAE's minister of industry and advanced technology, was at the party.

Abu Dhabi is thought to have found common ground with Reform over a shared opposition to political Islam.

Last September, Farage pledged to ban the Muslim Brotherhood, citing the fact that several Gulf states have done so.

The group is banned in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE. Founded in Cairo in 1928, the Brotherhood is one of the world's largest and best-known groups espousing political Islam.

It has long maintained that it is a peaceful organisation that wishes to participate in politics democratically.

But it is considered a major threat by many autocratic governments in the Middle East and North Africa.

This is because, in rare instances in which free elections are held in the region, parties affiliated with the organisation often win outright or form the largest opposition party.

In January 2025, the UAE labelled eight British organisations as terror groups over alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood, although none of these organisations are considered to have broken any British laws.

And in 2023, it was revealed that the UAE had paid a private intelligence firm based in Geneva, Alp Services, to smear Britain’s largest Muslim charity, Islamic Relief Worldwide, by seeking to link its officials with the Muslim Brotherhood and violent extremists.