Topic analysis

Reform UK spending on Facebook ads surged before May elections

Reform UK ramped up its Facebook ad spending to £252,000 in the final two weeks of the May 2026 election campaign, nearly matching Labour’s £276,000 spend on main party pages, while demonstrating enhanced campaign sophistication through targeted local ads backed by significant donations including £3m from crypto investor Christopher Harborne. The Conservatives placed a distant third in ad spending with £76,000, and while Labour outspent Reform when all affiliated accounts were included, the data signals Reform’s growing financial muscle and professionalized digital campaign capabilities in UK politics.