The Guardian reported that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is ending his regular Telegraph column, with conflicting accounts over who initiated the split and no confirmation that his monthly fee has stopped.
The newspaper cited sources who said owner Axel Springer chose not to renew Farage’s contract. People close to Farage gave a different account, saying he resigned Friday because he disagreed with the Telegraph’s direction. An unnamed Telegraph source declined to discuss Farage’s employment status, the Guardian reported.
The UK Parliament’s Register of Members’ Financial Interests lists Farage’s work writing articles for Telegraph Media Group at about £4,000 per month, based on an estimated 16 hours of work each month. The register may keep an interest visible for 12 months after it ends, so the listing does not establish whether Farage still receives the fee.
The Guardian reported that Farage’s latest column appeared during the week before Nov. 2 and addressed the first budget of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s premiership. It said Farage called for benefits for foreign nationals to be scrapped, net-zero targets to be abolished and foreign aid to be cut.
Axel Springer announced it completed its acquisition of Telegraph Media Group on June 30. The company said it planned to accelerate the publisher’s digital transformation and expand its U.S. presence while preserving editorial independence. TheWrap reported Oct. 23 that Axel Springer planned roughly 100 job cuts as part of a shift toward an AI-powered global business; its report did not connect the planned cuts to Farage’s column ending.
Telegraph Media Group is also holding a broader restructuring consultation, covered in EconoTimes’ report on columnist Allison Pearson’s possible departure.
