Farage’s campaign against the WHO linked to vaping lobbyists that won’t reveal funders

Earlier this year, Nigel Farage found a new hobby: bashing the World Health Organisation (WHO). But an investigation by Good Law Project and the Guardian can reveal that the MP for Clacton’s latest global conspiracy theory is backed by lobbyists for the vaping and nicotine products industry.

Farage started attacking the WHO in February, branding the UN agency charged with keeping people healthy “increasingly appalling”.

Three months later he helped to found the pressure group Action on World Health, which spreads disinformation and conspiracy theories while campaigning “to reform or replace the WHO”. Until now, Farage has failed to declare his involvement in the group to parliament, but his spokesperson has said it will be belatedly declared in the next register of interests.

Farage made an appearance on GB News’s breakfast show to push the debunked claim that the WHO’s pandemic preparedness treaty threatens the sovereignty of member nations, and declaring in the Telegraph that the UK should leave the WHO.

Since then, the Reform leader hasn’t let it lie, taking part in an event held by the US-based Sovereignty Coalition, who also campaign against the WHO, and telling the Telegraph in September that Rachel Reeves should cut WHO funding to pay for winter fuel payments for pensioners.

The MP for Clacton’s new-found aversion for an international agency “guided by science” and devoted to the “wellbeing of all people” might seem a bit strange. But could his friends at Action on World Health benefit from WHO’s demise?

One of the people who helped Farage launch Action on World Health is the nicotine product lobbyist, David Roach.

The WHO is currently advocating for stronger regulation surrounding novel nicotine products – heated tobacco, nicotine vapour and nicotine pouches – which have been linked to addiction and smoking in young people. 

Roach is an LLP member of the Global Institute for Novel Nicotine, which lobbies for nicotine pouch and vape manufacturers, and his consulting firm has worked with vaping lobbyist, ANDS. And Action on World Health has employed consultants who have also been linked to the novel nicotine industry.

After being approached by the Guardian, Roach said that Action on World Health is not being funded by novel nicotine interests – but he refused to disclose who its financial backers are for confidentiality reasons.

The group has received reams of favourable coverage in the Telegraph, the Sun, the Express and on Talk TV, where their outlandish claims have been promoted often without challenge.

“We should understand attacks like this as paid-for advertising and bring to them the scepticism we bring to adverts” said Good Law Project’s executive director Jo Maugham. “But because the funders are hidden we wrongly assess it as – to extend the metaphor – editorial.”

“It’s unlawful to do this, to have hidden funders, if you are a social media influencer selling toasters. The law really should treat the sale of political ideas in the same way.”

Action on World Health also has its own parliamentary wing including rightwing MPs, Richard Tice and Andrew Rosindell.

And Farage has revealed plans to expand the group’s lobbying across the pond, hiring a Republican strategist also linked to the novel nicotine industry, Brett O’Donnell. In 2015, O’Donnell pled guilty to making false statements to the House Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) about receiving taxpayer funds for his campaign-related services.

Since the election in July, Farage has faced criticism for jetting off to the US five times instead of spending time with the people he represents. These latest revelations raise further questions over whether the MP for Clacton is interested in the health and wellbeing of his constituents or pursuing his own divisive agenda.

A spokesperson for Farage told the Guardian: “Nigel Farage is not paid in his role at Action on World Health. He is chairman of the organisation because he has long believed that the WHO is bloated, undemocratic and a complete catastrophe.”

In response to the Guardian, David Roach said: “We do not currently work with any vaping companies, but I imagine most novel nicotine companies would support AWH’s aims to reform or replace the WHO given its misguided approach to reduced-risk products.”

He added: “Action on World Health (AWH) is an international campaign group committed to reform all aspects of WHO activities. Health policies which infringe on national sovereignty should be under the control of nation states, not unelected global bodies.”

But a spokesperson for WHO has repudiated statements made by Roach and Action on World Health: “Claims that the draft agreement will cede sovereignty to WHO and will give the WHO secretariat power to impose lockdowns or vaccine mandates on countries are false and have never been requested nor proposed,” they said. “This agreement will not, and cannot, grant sovereignty to WHO.”