When Nigel Farage stepped off the plane at Joint Base Andrews in January 2025, flanked by Trump loyalists and grinning for cameras at the inauguration party, few noticed the quiet man in the dark suit beside him—Zachary Freeman, a Washington lobbyist with deep ties to the Heritage Foundation. Now, six months later, that moment has become the anchor of a political storm. Byline Times’ investigation, published November 24, 2025, reveals Freeman is the architect of Project 2029, a covert trans-Atlantic campaign to transplant the Heritage Foundation’s radical Project 2025 blueprint into British politics—via Reform UK.
The American Blueprint in British Soil
Project 2025 isn’t just a policy paper. It’s a 900-page playbook for dismantling the American administrative state: eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency’s climate rules, abolish the Department of Education, strip away abortion rights even in cases of rape or maternal death, and purge federal agencies of career civil servants in favor of ideological loyalists. The Heritage Foundation called it a "mandate for leadership." Critics called it a constitutional coup. Now, it’s being adapted for Britain. Enter James Orr, a 45-year-old Cambridge theologian and head of the Centre for a Better Britain (CBB). In a September 2025 BBC Radio 4 interview, Orr praised Project 2025 as "a necessary corrective to liberal overreach." He specifically endorsed its goals: scrapping Net Zero targets, repealing the Equality Act 2010, and centralizing executive power. By October 2025, he was appointed senior advisor to Farage. The connection wasn’t coincidental—it was engineered. Freeman had introduced Orr to Heritage Foundation insiders during a July 2025 trip to Lynchburg, Virginia, where they met with Dave Brat, president of Liberty University and a key figure in evangelical conservative networks.Racism Allegations Resurface
Just as Project 2029 came to light, The Guardian published testimony from former classmates of Farage at Dulwich College, an elite south London school. They recalled Farage, then a teenager in the early 1980s, using antisemitic slurs and mocking Black classmates with racially charged caricatures. "It wasn’t just jokes," one former student told The Guardian. "It was part of the culture he led." Farage’s response on November 24, 2025, was dismissive. "I just entered my teens. Can I remember everything that happened at school? No, I can’t," he told reporters. "Have I ever been part of an extremist organisation or engaged in direct, unpleasant personal abuse? No." The phrasing was telling—caveated, defensive, and detached. When pressed on whether he regretted the behavior, he replied: "I’ve never directly really tried to go and hurt anybody." The same day, Sarah Pochin, Reform UK’s MP for Runcorn and Helsby, ignited a firestorm by telling a local radio station: "It drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people—they don’t reflect our society." She later apologized, calling her comments "ill-judged." But Farage refused to distance himself. "I’m unhappy about the remarks," he said. "But I don’t think they’re racist." Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer didn’t hold back. "The man is spineless," Starmer told Sky News on November 23. "If that had been someone in my party, I’d have dealt with it straight away. He needs to explain why he’s too spineless to take action against obvious racism in his own ranks."
A Party in Crisis
The controversies didn’t stop there. On November 23, 2025, Nathan Gill, former Reform UK leader in Wales, was sentenced to six months in prison for accepting £15,000 to post pro-Russian propaganda on social media between January 2024 and August 2025. The court heard he’d shared Kremlin-approved narratives denying Ukrainian sovereignty and praising Putin’s "historical claims" to territory. Yet Farage’s reaction? Silence. No statement. No condemnation. No disciplinary action. Instead, on Sunday night, November 23, he posted a cryptic image on X: a black-and-gold Reform UK badge with the caption "coming soon." Some saw it as a rebrand. Others saw it as a signal that the party was doubling down on its far-right pivot.A Strategic Pivot—or a Moral Collapse?
There’s a twist in the tale: just days before the racism allegations surfaced, Farage publicly rebuked Donald Trump’s 24-point Ukraine peace plan. On November 21, 2025, he told the BBC: "Halving Ukraine’s army? That’s not peace—that’s surrender. It’s not acceptable." This was a rare moment of clarity. For years, critics accused Farage of softening his stance on Russia. Now, he was aligning with NATO’s position. But the timing was suspicious. Was this a genuine shift—or a desperate attempt to salvage credibility as his party imploded? The answer may lie in the money. Freeman’s network includes evangelical donors who fund anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion campaigns in the U.S. The CBB’s policy papers mirror their language almost verbatim. And while Farage claims he’s "just a Brexit guy," his movement is now the vehicle for a transnational conservative revolution—one that rejects multiculturalism, climate science, and gender equality.
What’s Next?
Reform UK is polling at 18% nationally—its highest ever. But internal leaks suggest morale is collapsing. Senior staff are resigning. Donors are pulling back. The party’s future may depend on whether Farage can separate himself from the toxic elements he’s embraced—or whether he’s become their prisoner.Frequently Asked Questions
What is Project 2029, and how is it connected to Nigel Farage?
Project 2029 is a covert lobbying initiative, revealed by Byline Times in November 2025, designed to import the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 agenda into British politics. It’s funded and coordinated by Zachary Freeman, a pro-Trump lobbyist tied to U.S. evangelical groups. Farage’s close advisor, James Orr, head of the Centre for a Better Britain, openly admires Project 2025 and has replicated its policy goals, including scrapping the Equality Act 2010 and abolishing Net Zero targets. This isn’t coincidence—it’s a coordinated transatlantic operation.
Why is Nigel Farage refusing to condemn Sarah Pochin’s racist comments?
Farage’s refusal to distance himself from Pochin’s remarks—that ads "full of black people, full of Asian people" don’t reflect British society—suggests he views such views as politically useful. Pochin’s comments mirror the anti-immigration rhetoric that drives Reform UK’s base. By labeling them "unhappy" but not "racist," Farage signals tolerance of exclusionary language, a tactic that may boost short-term support but risks long-term alienation of moderate voters and donors.
How does Nathan Gill’s prison sentence reflect on Reform UK?
Gill’s six-month sentence for accepting £15,000 to spread pro-Russian propaganda exposes a dangerous undercurrent within Reform UK’s ranks. His actions weren’t isolated—he was part of a broader network of foreign influence operations targeting Western democracies. Farage’s silence on Gill’s conviction suggests either ignorance or complicity. Either way, it undermines the party’s claim to be a legitimate political force.
Is Farage’s support for Ukraine genuine, or just political theater?
Farage’s criticism of Trump’s Ukraine peace plan on November 21, 2025, was a rare moment of alignment with Western allies. But it came days after the racism scandal erupted. Given his history of downplaying Russian aggression and his ties to pro-Kremlin figures, many suspect this was damage control. His support for Ukraine lacks the consistency of principle—it’s reactive, not rooted in conviction.
What impact could Project 2029 have on British democracy?
If Project 2029 succeeds, Britain could see the erosion of independent institutions: civil service meritocracy replaced by political loyalty, environmental protections gutted, and anti-discrimination laws repealed. The Centre for a Better Britain’s policy documents show a direct line from Heritage Foundation templates to Reform UK’s agenda. This isn’t ideological borrowing—it’s institutional subversion, and it threatens the foundations of Britain’s liberal democracy.
Can Reform UK recover from these scandals?
Reform UK’s polling surge is built on anger, not policy. But as the party becomes increasingly associated with racism, foreign influence, and authoritarianism, moderate voters and traditional conservatives are fleeing. The black-and-gold rebrand may signal a new image—but without purging toxic elements and confronting its ideological roots, the party risks becoming a fringe movement with no path to power.