Table of Contents
- Farage’s Controversial U.S. Congress Appearance
- Who Is the Alliance Defending Freedom?
- Labour Party’s Sharp Rebuke
- New Adviser Deepens Concerns
- The Growing Transatlantic Right-Wing Network
- UK Public and Political Fallout
- Sources
Farage’s Controversial U.S. Congress Appearance
In a move that has ignited political backlash in the UK, Nigel Farage—leader of the right-wing Reform UK party—spoke before the U.S. Congress in September 2025. But it wasn’t just his speech that raised eyebrows. It was who arranged it.
According to reporting by The New York Times, Farage’s congressional testimony was brokered by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a U.S.-based conservative Christian legal group instrumental in overturning Roe v. Wade. Farage used the platform to criticize Britain’s free speech laws, calling them “restrictive” compared to America’s First Amendment.
Who Is the Alliance Defending Freedom?
The Alliance Defending Freedom, founded in 1994, describes itself as a “pro-life, pro-family” legal advocacy organization. But critics—including the Southern Poverty Law Center—label it a hate group due to its opposition to LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive freedom.
ADF played a key role in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the 2022 Supreme Court case that ended nearly 50 years of federal abortion rights in the U.S. The group has also pushed anti-trans legislation and defended businesses that refuse service to same-sex couples.
Its UK arm, ADF International, has been active in British legal and political circles, lobbying against gender identity reforms and supporting conservative causes across Europe.
Labour Party’s Sharp Rebuke
Britain’s governing Labour Party responded swiftly. In a statement released October 23, 2025, Labour called the connection “deeply concerning.”
“Reports that Nigel Farage’s appearance in the U.S. Congress was arranged by a group behind America’s abortion rollback are deeply concerning,” the party said. “This raises serious questions about the foreign influences shaping UK political discourse.”
The criticism underscores Labour’s effort to position itself as a defender of reproductive rights and democratic norms—especially as Reform UK gains traction in national polls.
New Adviser Deepens Concerns
Adding fuel to the fire, Farage recently appointed Dr. James Orr—a Cambridge theologian and staunch anti-abortion activist—as a senior adviser to Reform UK.
Orr, who has called the UK’s abortion laws “one of the most extreme in the world,” opposes abortion in all circumstances, including cases of rape or incest. He is also a close ally of U.S. Vice President JD Vance and has hosted him at his home in Cambridgeshire.
Labour seized on the hire as further evidence of Reform UK’s alignment with hardline U.S. social conservatives. “This isn’t just about policy—it’s about ideology,” said a Labour spokesperson.
The Growing Transatlantic Right-Wing Network
Farage’s ties to ADF are part of a broader trend: the deepening alliance between right-wing movements in the U.S. and Europe. From shared think tanks to coordinated media appearances, figures like Farage, Viktor Orbán, and American Christian nationalists are building a global coalition rooted in traditionalism, nationalism, and opposition to “woke” liberalism.
ADF International has facilitated meetings between U.S. lawmakers and European politicians, including briefings on “religious freedom” and “family values.” Farage’s September trip included multiple such engagements, according to internal messages reviewed by The Times.
UK Public and Political Fallout
Public reaction in Britain has been mixed. Polls show Reform UK hovering around 15% support, with its base energized by anti-establishment messaging. But mainstream voters—particularly women and younger demographics—express alarm over the party’s social agenda.
Women’s rights groups have called for greater transparency about foreign influence in UK politics. “When a British politician is platformed by an organization that helped dismantle abortion rights in America, we have a right to ask: what are they promoting here?” said Emma Taylor of the Fawcett Society.
As the 2026 local elections approach, Labour appears determined to frame Reform UK not as a protest movement, but as a vehicle for imported extremism.
