LONDON, June 27 (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Action on World Health, a campaign group co-founded by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, has officially relocated its operations to the United States. The organization, which advocates for the replacement of the World Health Organization (WHO), is now registered in Delaware as a charitable foundation and grassroots non-profit.
This shift aligns the group closer to Washington’s political ecosystem following the United States’ formal withdrawal from the WHO under President Donald Trump.
The relocation comes after Farage made numerous trips to the US since becoming a Member of Parliament in July 2024. As part of its relaunch, the campaign has expanded its board to include American political allies and veteran strategists.
Expanding influence in Washington
The campaign’s transition involves significant restructuring, including the appointment of Gerry Gunster, a US lobbyist who previously worked on Farage’s leave campaign for the 2016 EU referendum. Additionally, Andy Wigmore, a prominent Brexit campaigner and associate of Farage, has joined the board. These moves are intended to leverage US political momentum to challenge the WHO’s influence on global health policy.
The organization is also soliciting donations in dollars through a new website that allows supporters to email politicians regarding anti-WHO policies. However, the platform currently excludes options for UK-based individuals to contact their own representatives. Other London-based board members include Greg Swenson, the chair of Republicans Overseas UK, and Amanda Moslé Friedman, a US businesswoman with ties to the nuclear technology sector.
Conflicts of interest and transparency
The relocation of the campaign has drawn sharp criticism from transparency watchdogs, including the Good Law Project and Spotlight on Corruption. Because the group has registered as a non-profit in Delaware, it can operate under strict corporate secrecy laws. This structure allows the campaign to raise funds without disclosing the names of its donors, leading to concerns about the use of “dark money” in international lobbying.
Critics have questioned the involvement of a sitting British MP in a foreign pressure group. A spokesperson for Spotlight on Corruption stated:
“This shows how urgently stricter rules on MPs’ second jobs and side hustles are needed. It is disappointing that there has been so little progress on this so far despite this being a major manifesto commitment.”
Farage’s representatives have maintained that his chairmanship role is unpaid and describes his participation as a personal effort to reform an institution he labels as undemocratic. The role was declared to the UK Parliament’s register of interests in late 2024.
Ties with Vaping and Nicotine Industry
The campaign’s focus on the WHO has sparked debate regarding its ties to the nicotine and vaping industries. While Action on World Health claims it does not receive direct funding from tobacco companies, its co-founder David Roach has a background providing secretariat services to the Global Initiative on Novel Nicotine.
Roach’s firm previously lobbied on behalf of vaping company ANDS, and the campaign’s manifesto includes strong opposition to WHO-led regulations on e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. The organization argues that such products are significantly less harmful than smoking and criticizes the WHO for attempting to impose excessive regulations on consumer goods.
Global health body responds to criticism
The World Health Organization has rejected the claims made by the campaign group, labeling them as misinformation. The WHO asserts that its draft agreements for pandemic preparedness are designed to improve global cooperation and explicitly reaffirm the sovereignty of individual member states. According to the organization, these treaties contain no legal mechanisms to dictate national lockdowns or enforce mandatory vaccination programs.
Despite the controversy surrounding its funding and objectives, the campaign continues to pressure international leaders to move health policy under strict domestic jurisdiction. Representatives from Action on World Health, Reform UK, and David Roach did not respond to requests for comment regarding the group’s move to the United States.
