Farage unveils Olympic boxing champion as Reform mayoral candidate at rally

Luke Campbell, who won a gold medal in 2012, will stand in the Hull and East Riding region on May 1.

Reform UK can win the next general election and “make history”, Nigel Farage said as he unveiled a hero of the 2012 London Olympics as one of the party’s candidates in the upcoming mayoral elections.

The Reform UK leader welcomed former professional boxer and 2012 gold medallist Luke Campbell to the stage in front of 2,000 supporters at Hull’s Connexin Live Arena on Thursday night.

Mr Campbell will be Reform UK’s candidate in the first-ever election for a metro mayor in the Hull and East Riding region on May 1.

Mr Farage made no mention of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to Washington during his 20-minute speech at the arena, but he told the audience: “We are the most optimistic political party in Britain.

“We believe we can make history. We believe we can prove everybody wrong. We believe we can win the next general election and turn this country around.”

Mr Campbell was cheered by the Reform UK supporters as he climbed out of a boxing ring on the stage.

He later told a press conference: “I tried to get across in my message on the stage tonight that I’m not a politician and I’m not going to stand here pretending that I am.

“My reason for why I am doing it is for the people.”

He said: “Looking at the Olympics, nobody got welcomed home the way I did.

“That for me makes this place so special. This city backs its people and that’s what so special about it.”