Nigel Farage recruits property tycoon Nick Candy as Reform treasurer

Reform UK has appointed Nick Candy, a billionaire property developer and previous donor to the Conservative party, as its treasurer. His main responsibility will be to gather substantial funds to support the party in the upcoming general election.

This is the most recent in a series of statements from Nigel Farage’s party, intended to demonstrate their commitment to gaining political power.

Candy, who is the spouse of Australian singer and actress Holly Valance—another supporter of Reform—earned his wealth by purchasing and renovating real estate alongside his brother Christian.

The couple received a private education and purchased their first home in London in 1995, financing it with a £6,000 loan from their grandmother. Although they haven't revealed the extent of their wealth, they refer to themselves as "self-made billionaires."

The real estate mogul had a strong relationship with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, contributing over £270,000 to the Conservative Party during his tenure and even participating in the then-PM's wedding.

He now claims that Farage has a chance of winning the upcoming general election. He has committed to raising "tens of millions" for Reform UK and informed reporters that he will contribute a "seven-figure amount" from his own funds as well.

"This nation requires transformation, and I think Nigel Farage is the one who can bring about that change. I truly believe he will become the next prime minister," he stated while being presented to the media at Westminster.

Elon Musk has shown support for Candy's appointment, as rumors swirl that the billionaire owner of X is considering making a significant donation to Farage's party.

Candy mentioned that he and Musk communicated via messages after the announcement on Tuesday morning, but the newly appointed treasurer of Reform UK declined to comment on any discussions.

When he was asked about the billionaire who backs Donald Trump, Farage remarked, "We don't have much information about Elon Musk, except that he aligns with our views."

He laughed and said, "If folks want to give us money in a legal way, we're all for it."

In the UK, both organizations and individuals must be registered in order to contribute to a political party. This brings up concerns about how a South African-born US citizen would be able to donate funds to Reform.

Farage rejects the idea that Reform UK is turning into a party for the wealthy elite. He explains that the recent efforts to raise funds are meant to help them achieve a financial balance with the other leading political parties.

"If we take that approach, we will accomplish remarkable things," he continued.

In addition to financial support, Reform UK has been establishing important connections within Westminster.

Last week, Tim Montgomerie, a longtime Conservative commentator and former advisor to Boris Johnson, revealed that he was joining a different political party. He is known for starting the well-respected Conservative Home website. He mentioned that he couldn't overlook the party's shortcomings on immigration policy as his reason for leaving.

Farage has a mixed history regarding attracting prominent figures. During his time as the leader of UKIP, he ended up clashing with well-known personalities like TV host Robert Kilroy-Silk, former Conservative MP Douglas Carswell, and ex-EU auditor Marta Andreasen, just after announcing their arrivals with great enthusiasm.

However, he has successfully drawn the support of affluent investors in the past, including insurance magnate Arron Banks, who financed his Brexit initiative.

He is establishing Reform UK as the party for those seeking change—a strategy that successfully propelled Labour to a significant electoral win just over five months ago.

However, Sir Keir Starmer's choice to tackle tough and unpopular issues early in his leadership, combined with several mistakes that could have been avoided, has led to a significant decline in Labour's support, while Reform's popularity has increased.

Reform UK has positioned itself firmly in third place in national opinion polls, surpassing the Liberal Democrats, and is steadily closing the distance with the leading two parties.

The newly formed party struggled to convert its level of support into parliamentary seats at Westminster in July.

The Liberal Democrats garnered 3.5 million votes and secured 72 members of Parliament thanks to their focused campaign strategy. In contrast, Reform UK achieved just over four million votes but managed to win only five seats.

Farage is determined to gather insights from the Liberal Democrats on how to navigate and utilize Westminster's first-past-the-post voting system to benefit his own party.

Zia Yusuf, the newly appointed multi-millionaire chairman of Reform UK, has committed himself to the challenge of making the party more professional. This is no small feat, especially given the controversy the party has faced in its brief existence, particularly concerning its selection of candidates.

Farage has come under scrutiny regarding James McMurdock, the Reform Member of Parliament for South Basildon and East Thurrock, who has a prior conviction for assaulting his girlfriend back in 2006.

The party acknowledged that they knew about McMurdock's prior conviction before choosing him as a candidate. They firmly believe that individuals have the ability to turn their lives around.

Reform UK is promising to conduct more careful background checks on candidates before the local elections next year in a bid to prevent any potential issues.

One focus is the newly established mayoral position in Greater Lincolnshire, where former Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns has been announced as the candidate for the party.

Until now, reform has primarily been viewed as a challenge for the Conservative Party. However, in the aftermath of the general election, Farage outlined their approach by stating, "We're targeting Labour."

The major political parties will be closely observing Reform UK's recent wave of announcements with concern, questioning if they can maintain this level of energy and progress.