How the Clacton by-election, and Count Binface, could damage Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage’s statement on Tuesday afternoon, broadcast live from Reform UK headquarters, was supposed to be sensational. After weeks of relative quiet, Farage teased his intervention with a statement on social media, promising an update on his “future in public life”. The scene was set. In Trumpian tones, Farage put on a furious front as […]
Governing by nostalgia: Reform’s crusade for ‘Christian values’ offers false comfort
The announcement by Reform UK that they will “restore Britain’s Christian heritage” and that the nation must “uphold its Christian values” captures the contradictory essence of modern populist politics. Politicians of various faiths and none scrambling to weaponise a religious identity that the British public themselves have left behind and show no sign of wanting […]
Reform isn’t building a party of government. It’s building a retirement home
Reform’s decision to welcome Robert Jenrick tells us far more about what kind of political project it really is than any speech, slogan or rally ever could. This is not the behaviour of a serious insurgent movement preparing for government. It is the behaviour of a party more interested in Punch and Judy politics than […]
Nadhim Zahawi and the pitfalls in Farage’s defection strategy
The first reaction to Nadhim Zahawi’s defection to Reform UK revolves around the political baggage he brings with him. The former chancellor’s political career was inextricably intertwined with the Conservative Party’s spiral toward electoral disaster at the 2024 general election. Zahawi, whose prominence in the Conservative psychodrama elevated him to ‘big beast’ status, did not […]
Cost of living is top priority for voters ahead of autumn budget, mega poll finds
The cost of living has been identified as the top priority for the government to address in the autumn budget. A new poll of over 7,400 people has found that 59% of voters are demanding action on the cost of living and the economy. This figure was higher than the number of voters who ranked […]
Immigration crackdown necessary for ‘open, generous, tolerant’ society, Mahmood says
Immigrants will be required to meet stricter conditions in order to earn the right to stay in the UK permanently, under a new government crackdown. Labour has announced that a government consultation will be launched on plans to make settlement dependent on paying national insurance, claiming no benefits, learning English to a high standard, volunteering […]
Dr Simon Opher: ‘Reform UK’s vaccine crankery is a dangerous threat to our national security’
Vaccinations were first trialled in 1796 by Edward Jenner, a rural country doctor in Berkeley, in my constituency. He published the results of his work in 1798. Since their introduction, it is estimated that vaccines have saved more than 500 million lives, and they remain the single most effective health intervention ever. The story of […]
Bill Esterson: ‘Reform UK’s fracking stance shows it is not serious’
Reform UK contends fracking would fix Britain’s energy crisis. But here’s the truth: it wouldn’t cut your bills, it wouldn’t keep the lights on, and it would cause a lot of pollution. Even in the best-case scenario, fracking would give us just a few years of gas. And guess what? That gas would be sold on global markets at the same price as gas […]
Ben Goldsborough: ‘Nigel Farage and Reform UK would break what makes Britain strong’
When Nigel Farage stood up this week and outlined his so-called “plan” for immigration, he didn’t sound like a democrat. He sounded like Vladimir Putin. He called for uniformed officers to raid Britain’s villages, towns and cities, disappearing people off our streets for rendition to countries they may have never even set foot in. No […]
Nigel Farage ‘on the side of predators’ with Online Safety Act criticism, says Labour
Nigel Farage is “on the side” of predators like Jimmy Savile with his criticism of the Online Safety Act, the technology secretary has suggested. Peter Kyle, the secretary of state for science, innovation and technology, said Reform UK’s policy of repealing online safety laws means Farage has taken the side of “people out there who […]
