Our Nigel is happy. One of his successful by-election candidates (Runcorn) won his seat by 6 votes; 12,645 against 12,639, a close call.
I don't know if it is just dissatisfaction with The Socialists and The Tories, or his wonderful policies, but Nigel Farage (above) and his 'Reform UK' party, seems to be gaining popularity in the UK. If they made a coalition with The Tories, they would probably win the next election.
Farage came to prominence during the EU Referendum with his UKIP party, and as an outspoken MEP.
He was educated at Dulwich, then went directly into The City. He worked in Commodity trading; mostly in metals (I think). I don't think he has any graduate degree.
His straight-forward approach has caused him several problems over the years, as he has locked horns with fellow MEP's and UK politicians alike. He is no stranger to conflict, and I feel he rather revels in it.
He takes a somewhat Tr*mpian approach to politics; shooting from the hip! Many will remember that he was a serious Tr*ump supporter.
He is known as a beer-drinking, smoking, right-winger; and he says what he thinks people want to hear. His association with Tr*mp in the past has given him a no-nonsense aura. Starmer's wooly political approach is getting on people's nerves, and Farage is taking full advantage.
I cannot tell what he'd be like as a future PM. Personally I would never vote for him as I really have no idea what he stands for. I would like to see a return to one-nation, middle of the road, intelligent, politics, that would get us back to 'normality' again, but I don't see Farage in that role. I see him as a radical, when what EVERY COUNTRY really needs are accountability, diplomacy, and calm.
Perhaps a coalition would calm him a bit.
20 comments:
Runcorn was a major shock. As a matter of interest Reform won by the same number of votes as punches thrown by Mike Amesbury at his constituent.
The Amesbury Effect!!!
Reform is the Tory SDP. Labour shot themselves in the foot punishing working class people like pensioners. Where is the party for the labourers- Labour?
Farage is spouting what people want to hear, mainly immigration, it's very easy to say these things when you are not in power, it does scare me this rather 'new' party is gaining power so quickly. Like you I would never vote for him.
To give Farage his due, his campaign to leave the EU was a long-running thorn in the side of governments. After the referendum result, Starmer showed his true colours by trying every trick in the book to reverse the result, something that I could never forgive or forget. I haven't liked many election outcomes over the years, but one has to accept them and move on.
I suspect that Reform is the nearest we have on the voting slip to "none of the above", an entry that would probably have been the vote winner for most recent elections.
I don't understand anything about British politics, but it seems to me that it's the same everywhere, mainly a great disappointment.
Your post is somewhat contradictory in what you are saying about not knowing about Farage on the one hand and implying that you do know on the other. If you don't know what Farage stands for, fair enough. But then to say you wish to return to middle of the road politics but you would not vote for Farage confuses me if, as you say, you don't know what he stands for.
The Tories have traditionally been the One Nation Party, and looked after everyone equally, but I'm not so sure these days; it's a mess.
Politicians will say anything to get elected, then once in power.....
I suspect that Starmer is trying to re-enter the EU by the back door. He seems prepared to give away our fishing waters to do so too!
I've always been interested in politics, but these days I despair.
I don't know what he stands for, other than a couple of policies; but you can't base a whole government on just two popular policies. Farage seems like a very far right politician who's pretending to be liberal-ish. I don't trust him.
Unusually, for a political post, I am in total agreement with you Crozier. Nobody really knows what The Reform Party stand for - they are just "different" and that's probably the main reason that a lot of people voted for them on Thursday. Farage seems like a comedy actor who has just stepped out of a role in "Only Fools And Horses".
I believe that political labels are wrong in the age we live in and I have not been using them for some while and have spoken recently about how out of date they are. I would suggest that anybody who is not left is now described as right or far right. There is no such recognition now of centrist or centre party, it is either left, far left or right and far right. The labels are in my opinion misleading and mis-applied. There are probably those reading your blog who consider you right wing when in fact you are, as you say, centrist and have never changed.
You are right, I'm not at all a die-hard Tory. I like to think of myself as a middle of the road 'liberal', but without any party to represent my views.
He likes to be seen as a beer-swilling man of the people, but having listened to some of his more explosive speeches in Brussels, I know him to be a 'firebrand'. I think people should be wary of him.
Must agree with YP's last sentence. I could never take Farage seriously, he looks like an out of work comedy actor - and who wants a PM like that!
We've learned to our cost that Political parties can't be trusted to keep their pre-election promises.
I well remember the promises made by Nick Clegg before the Cameron/Clegg coalition. To attract the student votes he promised them FREE education. The rest is history!!!
The world is in turmoil and there seems to be no really great leadership.
Lots of errors and sometimes correction or side-step seems to be the norm.
What will future leadership look like? Your guess is as good as mine and I currently have no names. .
As far as I can see, the future seems to be filled with 'extremists'. People either want hard-right or hard-left politicians. Not good!
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