Reform UK leader Nigel Farage remembered Charlie Kirk as a friend, defender of free speech and supporter of Britain on Thursday, calling the anniversary of Kirk’s assassination a “painful reminder of the consequences of political violence.”
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage paid tribute Thursday to his longtime friend Charlie Kirk on the first anniversary of the Turning Point USA founder’s assassination, remembering him as a “remarkable advocate for free speech” whose influence extended well beyond the United States.
“Today marks one year since the horrific murder of my friend Charlie Kirk,” Farage said in a statement shared on X. “It is a painful reminder of the consequences of political violence.” Reform UK also published Farage’s remembrance Thursday.
Farage said his thoughts were with Kirk’s widow, Erika, and the activist’s family, friends and others continuing to mourn him. He also recalled Kirk’s relationship with Britain, saying Kirk had visited the country numerous times and believed it could regain its former stature.
“He was such a remarkable advocate for free speech, his Christian faith, and for Western civilisation. He made a long lasting impact on America and the world in such a short time. He was truly an extraordinary man, and we were all blessed to know him,” Farage said.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking at an outdoor Turning Point event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Memorials marking the anniversary were being held Thursday in the United States and abroad.
Farage and Kirk had appeared together publicly multiple times over the years as their political movements developed ties across the Atlantic. Their appearances included events associated with Turning Point in Britain and a 2018 discussion of Andrew Breitbart’s legacy alongside Breitbart News Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow at a Turning Point student summit.
Farage also delivered a tribute to Kirk in Britain’s House of Commons the day after the assassination.
“An American, a Christian, a conservative, a family man, gunned down… He attracted a following of many millions of young Americans, and indeed had a growing online presence in our country, especially after he spoke at the Oxford Union last month… I think it’s incumbent upon all of us, whichever side of the divide we’re on, however passionate we might feel, to behave with personal responsibility. And I mourn the loss of my friend,” Farage said.
The official parliamentary record shows Farage told lawmakers that Kirk’s assassination should not be treated as a “left/right issue” and urged political figures across ideological divides to exercise personal responsibility.
Political violence and personal security have remained prominent issues for Farage since Kirk’s killing. In the immediate aftermath of the assassination, social media posts appeared calling for Farage to be targeted next, including messages using variations of “do Nigel next.” Farage publicly questioned whether British police would take action against people explicitly calling for his death.
Reform UK later said a government-supported security package offered to Farage represented a 75% reduction from his previous protection arrangements. The party chose instead to supplement or maintain protection privately, arguing that the proposed package did not reflect the threats facing him. British authorities have said protection arrangements for politicians are determined through professional risk assessments rather than political considerations.
Those concerns have taken on additional significance following the July killing of former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe. Prosecutors have alleged that Widdecombe, 78, was attacked in her home and struck repeatedly in the head with a hammer. A man has been charged with her murder, and authorities have continued investigating the circumstances and motive.
Farage’s Thursday tribute, however, centered principally on Kirk’s life and the personal relationship the two men developed through their shared appearances and political activism.
Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and built the organization into a major force in American conservative politics, particularly among students and younger voters. The organization has continued operating under the leadership of his widow and other senior officials during the year since his death.
For Farage, the anniversary was both a remembrance of that political legacy and a warning about violence directed at people because of their political beliefs.
“He made a long lasting impact on America and the world in such a short time,” Farage said. “He was truly an extraordinary man, and we were all blessed to know him.”
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