Reform UK Leader Appoints New Communications Chief

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has appointed Miles Goslett as the party's new chief of communications. The move comes one day after a BMG poll showed a Burnham-led Labour one point ahead of Reform. Goslett previously worked as a researcher for Conservative peer Lord Michael Ashcroft.

He contributed to several books by the peer, including titles on former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, soon-to-be former prime minister Keir Starmer, current Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, and former prime minister Rishi Sunak.

UK has faced multiple setbacks in recent months. These include questions over an undeclared £5 million donation from Thailand-based crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and a failure to declare five homes. The party has also dealt with candidate selection issues.

In the Makerfield by-election last month, Reform lost to Andy Burnham after winning every council seat in the area weeks earlier. The party's candidate in that race, Robert Kenyon, had a controversial social media history.

A Reform source said Goslett will focus on longer-term work rather than daily press inquiries. The source described the hire as a "massive addition" and noted responsibilities would include opposition research and Substack content. Farage has reduced his near-weekly press conferences and is exploring his own social media channels and a podcast.

The party slipped from a high of 35 per cent in polls last year to around 24 per cent in recent surveys. Home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf told BBC Question Time that he had been blocked from running in by-elections amid an ongoing dispute with Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick.