'I'm fundraising for a RNLI boat called The Flying Farage - it's almost hit target'
A man has launched a fundraiser to buy a rescue boat called 'the Flying Farage' for the RLNI - and it's almost hit its target.
Comedian Simon Harris is trying to raise enough money to fund a new life-saving hovercraft for the charity, who have been criticised by some right-wing figures including Nigel Farage for rescuing migrants on small boats crossing the channel.
He says he wants to name it after the Reform UK leader to thank him for his "active interest in the RNLI 's activities right now" - and jokes that he will buy a "pint of real English ale" to smash against the front of the vessel for the naming ceremony.
So far, his GoFundMe page has raised a remarkable £260,000 - meaning it is just £40,000 off its £300k target.
In an update on the campaign this week, Simon Harris wrote on Facebook: "I've noticed that there has recently been an increase in angry comments about the RNLI rescuing people in small boats in The Channel, and I've decided that I don't want to make people even angrier by pointing out that my appeal to buy the RNLI a rescue hovercraft called 'The Flying Farage' is only a few hundred away from a quarter of a million quids."
He added that the charity had told him the money is "being ringfenced for the lifeboat stations in the South East of England that are regularly called out to assist with small boats". The Mirror has approached the RNLI for comment.
Earlier this week, RNLI volunteer Paula Lain told the BBC that the charity is "actively compassionate" when dealing with all incidents at sea, and said: "When our pager goes, we're not thinking anything political. We're all thinking about people."
The RNLI says less than 1% of its funding comes from the government, and is primarily funded by gifts in wills, making up 65% of its revenue, and donations, which come to around 30%.
It comes amid what has so far been a record year for small boat arrivals to the UK.
As of last week, over 25,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats since the beginning of the year.
This number has been reached earlier in 2025 than in previous years. In 2022, the previous record year for small boat arrivals, the 25,000 mark was not passed until August 27.
A total of 898 people in 13 vessels made it to the UK on Wednesday, the highest number recorded since the heatwave in early July. The Home Office has said it will "end dangerous small boat crossings" through its plan to target the operations of people smuggling gangs, who they say "do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay".
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