Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says Canberra should be ‘absolutely terrified’ of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson

Nigel Farage has hailed One Nation leader Pauline Hanson as a “remarkable” political figure, saying Australia’s political establishment should be “absolutely terrified” of the One Nation leader.

The Reform UK leader said he had met Senator Hanson “on and off many times over the years”, with the pair catching up again in London last week while attending the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

Asked for his view on the One Nation leader, Mr Farage praised her authenticity and political longevity.

“Well, she never pretends to be what she’s not. She’s remarkable, she’s remarkable. And she keeps going, she keeps going, and I think the establishment in Canberra must be absolutely terrified,” Mr Farage told The Australian.

Mr Farage also said he believed Australia was experiencing political trends similar to what he had seen in the UK.

“I think in Australia, you’ve got some similar things going on,” he said while campaigning on the beachfront at Clacton-on-Sea on Thursday.

“You’ve got a similar phenomenon going on down there (with One Nation).”

Mr Farage has previously spoken out in support of Hanson, commending her political strategy, particularly her use of social media.

Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, he said Senator Hanson had recognised the importance of social media well before Australia’s major parties.

“She’s very clever on social media and she got it years ago, in a way that the Liberal Party of Australia didn’t,” he said.

“And I think that slow build has been really, really impressive.”

“The Australian Liberal Party has just lost its way completely.”

However, Mr Farage said he did not support Senator Hanson’s decision to appear on Tommy Robinson’s podcast, saying it would not have been his “choice”.

The comments come as Senator Hanson returns to Australia from a two-week tour of the United Kingdom and Europe, where she was focused on a “fact-finding mission” on immigration and conservative politics.

During the trip, the One Nation leader attended the CPAC conference in London and met with several high-profile conservative figures.

She also appeared on the podcast of controversial British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, a move that attracted criticism in Australia.

Senator Hanson defended the appearance, saying she wanted to hear directly from people involved in the issues she was researching rather than relying solely on mainstream reporting.