The best memes from the milkshaking of Nigel Farage

Every country has its own traditions for voicing frustrations toward its political figures, from egg-throwing to effigy-burning. In UK politics, we turn time and time again toward the humble milkshake.

By this point, you no doubt already know why we’re talking about this. On Tuesday (June 4), Nigel Farage was in Clacton for his first day of campaigning as the new leader of the political party-slash-company Reform UK, a platform for cartoon villains with no actual villains yet. Alas, he was met with a milky resistance. Belaboured by a beverage-based setback. Drenched in dairy by the hero of the hour, a 25-year-old woman named Victoria (free her!).

In some circles, this inspired act of milkshaking – which came five years after Farage had his first run-in with a Five Guys milkshake back in 2019 – sums up the complete contempt felt by a nation of young people toward right-wing fearmongers like Farage. On the other hand, there are plenty denouncing the alleged “assault” as an attack on democracy.

Others have even shared conspiracy theories that the whole thing was a set-up to gain clout for the Reform UK election campaign, which – in what’s been dubbed the UK’s “first TikTok election” – isn’t so difficult to believe. Farage even posed with his own McDonalds milkshake just hours after the incident, turning it into a publicity opportunity on X (Kelis reference and all).

Whatever the reasoning was behind the latest act of lactose-laced political expression, there have also been a lot of memes. “Nigel Farage has been hit by a second milkshake,” whispers the White House chief of staff into George W. Bush’s ear. “Twat,” reads the fortuitous foam spraying out of the McDonald’s cup, Farage’s face scrunched up in dreadful anticipation.

Is churning out memes the most productive form of political discourse we have at our disposal? Probably not. But it will have to do, at least until we pluck up the courage to take up arms (milkshakes), head for the nearest rally, and risk a few assault charges ourselves. Luckily for you, we’ve gathered some of the best below.