Reform UK has been criticised after launching a mobile phone game, named Small Boats Scramble, which sees users pretend to control Royal Navy vessels stopping boats crossing the Channel
Reform’s home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, has come under fire over the new mobile game(Image: AP)
Reform UK has been accused of reaching a “sickening new low” after launching a new mobile game where users pretend to be Navy ships stopping small boats.
Nigel Farage’s home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, came under fire after unveiling the game, known as Small Boats Scramble. In a statement he also said the top scorer on the game over the next month would win £5,000.
The game references Mr Farage and Mr Yusuf’s much-maligned plan to use Navy boats to stop dinghies reaching the UK. It was unveiled over the summer and immediately torpedoed by France, which said it was a violation of its sovereignty.
Nathan Phillips, head of campaigns at Asylum Matters, said: “Human beings are dying in uncounted numbers in our Channel. The fact that any political party feels able not only to gamify people’s lives and deaths like this, but to offer up cash rewards to their followers for “playing”, is a sickening new low which demonstrates how far towards the dehumanisation of people seeking safety our political discourse has fallen.”
Meanwhile Lib Dem home affairs spokesman, Max Wilkinson mocked Mr Yusuf, stating: “The failed Brexit policies of deckheads like Zia and his mates gave us the small boats problem and now they’re trying to flog us stupid mobile games to distract.“
And a Labour spokesman said: “While Reform play games, this Labour government is bearing down on small boat crossings, with arrivals this summer at their lowest level for six years.
“Nigel Farage is scrambling yet again to distract from the sleaze and scandal engulfing Reform UK – and the multiple police investigations into the party’s finances. Instead of stunts and gimmicks, he should come clean and answer the serious questions facing his party.”
It comes as Mr Farage faces awkward questions about his party’s finances after Scotland Yard announced it was investigating the party following a sting by undercover reporters.
Reform faces allegations about off-the-books polling after undercover footage of Mr Farage and colleagues was broadcast by Channel 4 last week. Two of Mr Farage’s key aides – Dan Jukes and James Orr – were suspended after the allegations came to light.
Mr Farage claimed he was not listening during a meeting with two journalists, and Reform UK insists it has done nothing wrong.
Polling released on Monday showed the Reform leader’s popularity has plummeted to a new low, with nearly seven in 10 Brits having a negative view of him.
New polling found 69% of voters have an unfavourable opinion of him – including 57% who say they see him in a very unfavourable way. Just 24% hold a positive opinion of him, the YouGov polling shows.
This comes hot on the heels of another YouGov poll last week which found 73% of voters believe Mr Farage is sleazy. The latest figures show Mr Farage’s net favourability rating of -45 is the same as Keir Starmer’s just before he stepped down.
It stands in stark contrast with his rival party leaders.
Nearly half of Britons (46%) have a favourable view of Andy Burnham, compared to 39% who do not. And Mr Farage is also languishing behind Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who is viewed favourably by 32% and unfavourably by 47%.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski – who is is standing in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election after Mr Starmer’s resignation – has a net favourability of -29, YouGov found. Meanwhile Lib Dem Sir Ed Davey’s rating is -8.
In the game, Reform said in a statement, players take command of a Royal Navy vessel and race to stop illegal boats reaching Britain’s shores. Mr Yusuf said: “Small Boat Scramble lets people have a bit of fun with a very serious issue. The British public are sick of watching politicians talk while the boats keep coming.”
