‘I’ll believe it when I see it’: People on street which won Farage’s bills competition say Reform hasn’t paid
Some residents living on the street who won Nigel Farage’s controversial energy bills competition said they were not given their prizes.
The reform said they would cover the energy bills of the winning house and each address on the street for a year.
Earlier this month June from Wigan was announced as the winner. In a video posted on social media, Mr Farage was seen delivering flowers to June and her husband in the foyer, while the party’s treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick held a giant cheque.
The winner faced scrutiny after a photo resurfaced showing him standing behind the pair at a 2019 Brexit Party event, with social media users claiming Mr Farage already knew the winners.
Wigan’s local Reform UK branch also later posted the news on Facebook, congratulating “loyal” branch members on their win.
The party is understood to have complied with the legal requirements of the competition, with a draw in which June was randomly selected as the winner.
Now some people living on St Malo Road in the Greater Manchester town say they have been excluded from the reward, despite Reform saying it would pay the energy bills of every home on the street.
Telegram reported Only the winners’ homes on the same half of the street divided by St Aubyn’s Road received a letter telling them how they could make a claim for Reformation.
Reform says they were not able to deliver all the letters during their visit, but they are arriving now.
Angie Ecclestone, 48, said: Telegram He said his sister called him to congratulate him on winning, but he did not receive the awards.
“I thought to myself that I would believe it when I saw it, but I didn’t realize that I was excluded and that my neighbors had all received a letter and instructions,” Ms Ecclestone said.
“Nigel Farage said to the whole street: [would be included] but we heard nothing. I’m in shock. I’m the first house on St Malo Road. Whether it’s the whole street or not. I was so ashamed.
Similarly, 53-year-old IT worker Matt Johnson learned he had won the prize draw when his sister contacted him.
“We thought we would hear something from Reformation via email or mail, but we haven’t heard anything at this time,” he said.
“So if Reformation had said at that time that the whole street was going to happen, then we felt like we should be involved in that.
“Our energy bills rise and fall but are around £3,500 a year. Paying these will make a huge difference.”
Fraser Hayes, 63, said he had not received his winnings but would give them to someone else if he received them because he was not a fan of the right-wing rebel party.
“I have no reservations about defunding Reform and donating it to a local children’s charity, perhaps even to the Labor candidate,” he said. Telegram.
“[The stunt] appalling. It is clear that this is a data grab. They’re trying to get a lot of people to write in and ask, ‘Who did you vote for last?’ Who will you vote for this time?’
“I’m definitely not a fan of Reformation and I’m appalled that anyone is.”
When the contest was announced it sparked calls for the watchdog to investigate, after rivals were asked questions such as who they voted for in the last general election and who they planned to support in the next election.
Reform UK said this has been approved by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
A Reform England spokesman said: Independent: “We physically sent letters from some doors that day, but we could not deliver them to all addresses during the day. Letters are coming to the remaining households. As we promised, we always intended to pay the full amount and we will do this.”
