FARAGE REUSES TWO-YEAR-OLD PUB PHOTO TO MARK ENGLAND WORLD CUP WIN

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK and Member of Parliament for Clacton, posted a photograph to celebrate England's 4-2 victory over Croatia in a World Cup match. The image showed Farage holding a pint in a crowded public house whilst wearing a vintage England shirt from Euro 96, captioned "Proper Job @England". Users on the social media platform X identified the photograph as having been taken during Euro 2024, ahead of England's group stage match against Slovenia, rather than during the Croatia fixture.

The photograph depicted Farage in an identical pose, wearing the same shirt, in the same pub with the same people present as in the original 2024 image. The original post preceded England's group stage draw against Slovenia. Social media users criticised Farage's reuse of the photograph, with some questioning whether he possessed "a time machine" and others suggesting he had arranged for the same individuals to reassemble in identical clothing for the Croatia match. One user remarked that if Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had used a photograph in the same manner, the reaction would be severe enough to "finish him off".

Farage spent the week in Makerfield ahead of a by-election in that Greater Manchester constituency, where he posed alongside Robert Kenyon, Reform UK's candidate for the seat. Voters were scheduled to go to the polls on the day of the match. Farage stated he hoped Kenyon could achieve an upset against the incumbent candidate comparable to Cape Verde's draw against Spain earlier in the week.