The Reform UK leader said he was prepared to do a deal with Afghanistan’s brutal regime which would see refugees from there returned to their home country.
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Farage even said he was willing to pay the Taliban, as well as Iran’s despotic government, to take asylum seekers off the UK’s hands.
Asked if he was worried that those returning to their homelands could face torture or even death, the Reform leader said: “It bothers me, but what really bothers me is what is happening on the streets of our country.”
A Taliban official told the Telegraph they were willing to work with Farage if he becomes prime minister.
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“We are ready and willing to receive and embrace whoever he [Nigel Farage] sends us,” the official said.
“We are prepared to work with anyone who can help end the struggles of Afghan refugees, as we know many of them do not have a good life abroad.”
The official said the Taliban “will not take money to accept our own people”.
But they added: ” We welcome aid to support newcomers, since there are challenges in accommodating and feeding those returning from Iran and Pakistan.
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“Afghanistan is home to all Afghans, and the Islamic Emirate is determined to make this country a place where everyone – those already here, those returning, or those being sent back from the West by Mr Farage or anyone else – can live with dignity.”
Unveiling his “operation restoring justice” plan yesterday, Farage said he would withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and other international treaties to stop “activist judges” blocking his plans to deport 600,000 illegal immigrants in five years.
Reform would also revive the Tories’ failed Rwanda plan, and house asylum seekers in disused RAF sites – although Farage refused to say where they would be.
Reform UK’s deputy leader was involved in an extraordinary on-air bust-up with a Sky News presenter as he was quizzed on the party’s plans to deport hundreds of thousands of immigrants.
Richard Tice even asked Matt Barbet “are you on the side of international lawyers” as he appeared to lose his temper during the live interview.
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The clash came after Reform pledged to deport 600,000 illegal immigrants in five years if it wins the next election.
Under “operation restoring justice”, Nigel Farage said he would withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and other international treaties to stop “activist judges” blocking his plans.
Farage said Reform would also revive the Tories’ failed Rwanda plan, while also paying the likes of Afghanistan and Iran to take back their asylum seekers.
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That prompted Barbet to ask Tice: “You said you would do deals with despotic governments in Afghanistan and Sudan and send them straight back. Is that the moral thing to do?”
The Reform deputy leader said: “Sometimes, you do business with people you may not get on with, who may not be your friends. That’s life. Leadership is tough.”
Barbet then asked again: “Is it moral?”
Tice replied: “I’ll tell you what is not moral, that is putting the safety of our women and girls, British citizens, at risk. That is completely immoral.”
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Asked if a Reform UK government would do a deal with the Taliban, he said: “We will do whatever is necessary to protect the safety and security of British citizens.”
But the presenter told him the Taliban “do far worse to women and girls than anything that happens in this country”.
Tice hit back: “Whose side are we on? Are you on the side of international lawyers and the likes?”
Barbet told him he “wasn’t on anyone’s side, I’m just questioning where this is coming from and what your principles are”.
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The MP replied: “My principles are, and our principles at Reform, is to defend our borders, protect our sovereignty and protect the safety of British citizens, women and girls. That is the role of British government, nothing else.
“It’s not our job to police or patrol other regimes around the world, however desirable or undesirable they may be.
“The reason we’ve got into such a terrible state at the moment is because of the weakness of the existing establishment, the Labour and the Tory parties, who have betrayed the British people on this, let us down, lied to us, misinformed us. Now the truth’s coming out and guess what? The British people are a bit grumpy.”
In a remarkable U-turn, Farage will today announce that a Reform government would set up a “UK deportation command” if it wins the next election to remove all illegal immigrants from the country.
But asked by GB news last year if he supported the deportation of illegal immigrants, Farage said: “It’s impossible to do. Literally impossible to do.
“For us, at the moment, it’s a political impossibility.”
Asked if it was his “ambition” to do so, he replied: “No … it’s pointless even going there. It’s a political impossibility. We simply can’t do it.”
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On BBC Breakfast this morning, Kay reminded former Reform chairman Zia Yusuf of Farage’s previous view.
He said: “Only a year ago, Nigel Farage was asked about removing all illegal immigrants. Back then he said it is ‘impossible’ to remove all illegal immigrants. ‘It is a political impossibility’.
“And then he was asked if it was an ambition for Reform UK and he said ‘no, it’s pointless even going there. It is a political impossibility, We simply can’t do it’. So what has changed in a year?”
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Yusuf replied: “What’s changed is we’ve done the work. Nigel didn’t say it was impossible, he said it was a political impossibility. His view on that has decisively changed because of the facts on the ground and because of the fact that we’ve now done the work.”
But Kay told him: “That’s quite a flip-flop, isn’t it, by Mr Farage? To say 12 months ago it’s politically impossible, and now he’s saying we’re going to do it?”
Yusuf said: “We’ve done the work and Nigel has taken the view that not only can this be done, it must be done. As Winston Churchill said, he who never changes his mind never changes anything.”
‘That’s quite a flip flop by Mr Farage to say 12 months ago it’s politically impossible and now he’s saying we’re going to do it?’
Zia Yusuf from Reform UK was questioned on #BBCBreakfast about plans to organise mass deportations of all illegal migrants to tackle small boats… pic.twitter.com/KpjfNrOnDr
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‘That’s quite a flip flop by Mr Farage to say 12 months ago it’s politically impossible and now he’s saying we’re going to do it?’
Zia Yusuf from Reform UK was questioned on #BBCBreakfast about plans to organise mass deportations of all illegal migrants to tackle small boats… pic.twitter.com/KpjfNrOnDr
As first reported by Novara Media, a survey of 2,000 UK adults – conducted by Merlin Strategy over the weekend – showed Reform voters believe the former Labour leader has better qualities than the current prime minister.
The poll showed 65% of respondents think Corbyn was more authentic, 67% said he was for working people, 57% think he was hardworking, 64% believe he’s honest and 54% say he’s intelligent.
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A further 70% said they believe Corbyn makes radical decisions, 64% say he is principled, 69% say he represents change, 62% say he’s strong and 59% say he’s trustworthy.
And, crucially, 61% said they believe the Islington North MP understands “people like me”.
Starmer won on only one metric – he’s seen as better on the world stage than Corbyn.
However, the poll did not show whether or not this would push Farage supporters to actually vote for Corbyn’s new party.
Still, the research will be a real blow to the Labour government, considering it has moved away from hard-left policies touted by figures like Corbyn, in favour of winning back Reform voters.
So the government has been trying to win back that support.
Labour’s political director Claire Reynolds even told the party’s MPs in May that Reform UK voters are “our people”, but they’re just “pissed off” with the government right now.
However, it will rub salt in the wound to know that Corbyn, Starmer’s predecessor who was expelled from the party over a row related to antisemitism, is more respected than the prime minister.
Zarah Sultana, a suspended Labour MP who quit the party to join Corbyn’s new group, told Novara Media that Starmer’s “spent years chasing Reform voters, echoing their rhetoric, even mimicking Enoch Powell. And for what? They still prefer Jeremy Corbyn.”
Corbyn himself told the outlet: “The Labour government is here to appease Reform. We are here to defeat Reform.”
Nigel Farage has a brand new plan to help save Britain from “societal collapse”, apparently.
In a press conference, the Reform UK leader declared his party would cut crime in half amid a rise of alleged “lawlessness” in Britain.
As his party continues to lead in the polls, here’s the £17.4bn vision he set out for how Reform would manage criminals if it were to win the next general election – including the rather bizarre figures who inspire him…
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Utilising other countries – like El Salvador
Farage suggested sending British prisoners overseas to countries like El Salvador in Central America to complete their sentences.
This is one of the arguments Reform has presented as part of the argument in favour of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights.
Farage told the media today: “We can send some of our worst violent criminals overseas to serve their terms.
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“If that means that [child murderer] Ian Huntley goes to El Salvador…our attitude is so be it.”
Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin then jumped in: “If they [offenders] lose some human rights about family visiting or whatever else it might be, Sky News in the cell. then it’s a good thing, because it’s about time we got tougher with these people.”
But veteran broadcaster Andrew Neil still slammed the idea on Times Radio, saying: “I don’t like his idea of sending prisoners to El Salvador, to some godforsaken hellhole, we’re a civilised nation we shouldn’t be doing that.”
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According to Farage, pop-up prisons inspired by the Nightingale hospitals set up during the Covid pandemic would help ease the capacity crisis in Britain’s justice system.
He said 12,400 offenders who have committed low-level crimes could be put up in these new constructions at the cost of £5bn over a five-year parliament.
Reform would also unveil 100 pop-up custody centres for crime hot spots, and reopen 50 “mothballed premises” for use as courts.
Borrowing from Rudy Giuliani
Farage admitted his party’s attitude would be inspired by Rudy Giuliani’s crackdown on crime during his time as New York mayor three decades ago.
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In his famous “broken windows” theory, Giuliani famously focused on lower level crime in an effort to deter larger criminal operations.
The Reform UK leader said they were “borrowing from the Giuliani playbook unashamedly”.
“What Rudy Giuliani did to New York in the 1990s was nothing short of a blooming miracle,” he said.
Giuliani, formerly a lawyer for Donald Trump, was disbarred in New York earlier this year when he was found to be in contempt of court for falsely accusing officials in Georgia of committing election fraud in 2020.
Inspired by Miliei
Although this plan would cost £17.4bn over a five-year parliament, Farage said:“It’s not really a question of ‘can we afford to do this?’ It’s a question of ‘can we afford not to do this?’ That’s just how grim and serious the situation is.”
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“Of course you’re going to say where is the money going to come from,” he noted, before suggesting the funds would come from abolishing the HS2 project, Net Zero and diversity, equality and inclusion programmes.
He then pointed to Javier Milei, Argentina’s libertarian president.
He said Milei was accused of being a “madman” but “look what’s happening”.
Farage continued: “He has cut the size of the public sector by about 15%, 20% in some cases. Argentina is beginning to see the beginnings of an economic miracle.”
Miliei has undoubtedly improved the country’s struggling economy – its high inflation has cooled and its currency controls have fallen – but public sector salaries have also declined in response, and protests have become a weekly occurrence.
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Yes, that Milei….
via Associated Press
Wait, what ‘societal collapse’?
Of course, all of Farage’s proposals are based on several assumptions.
Firstly, that the country is on the cusp of “nothing short of societal collapse” due to its high crime rate.
Secondly, he set out the premise for his plan by saying: “The crime survey for England and Wales is based on completely false data. If you look at police recorded crime… there are some significant rises in crimes of all kinds, particularly crimes against the person.”
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There was a 14% increase in crime last year on the year before – but prior to that, there have been significant successive falls over the last three decades.
Thirdly, the MP for Clacton also claimed “tourists are increasingly reluctant to come to London”.
Actually, out of all the city destinations in the world, London had the second highest rate of international arrivals in 2023 with 18.8 arrivals, according to the UN World Tourism Organisation.
Is this all just ‘headline-chasing’?
Naturally, Farage’s political opponents were quick to tear into the announcement.
Labour Party chair Ellie Reeves said: “Nigel Farage repeatedly tried to block tough measures to make our streets safer.
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“Reform is more interested in headline-chasing than serious policy-making in the interests of the British people.”
Chris Philp the Tories’ shadow home secretary, said:“Nigel Farage is writing his own crime fiction.
“Their own document admits it is unfunded – which means they are not being honest about the price you will pay for their policies just like Labour.
“This is the same Nigel Farage who calls immigration enforcement ‘divisive’, wants an amnesty for illegal immigrants who’ve ‘integrated’, and says mass deportation is a ‘political impossibility’. You cannot trust a word he says.”
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And former chief inspector of prisons, Nick Hardwick, told Times Radio: “Where I think what he’s saying just doesn’t add up is that first of all, what he’s proposing will cost far, far more than he’s suggesting and secondly, I don’t actually think it will address the real concerns that people have got about crime.”
Nigel Farage just laughed and insisted he had “no idea” when asked about how a Reform UK mayor just received a huge pay rise – and was instantly torn apart on social media.
So far, it has an outright majority over 10 local authorities after a major victory in May’s local elections.
But, judging by the Reform leader’s response to a development in Scarborough council, handling any more than that may prove difficult.
On the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the presenter asked for his response to reports that Scarborough town council have given its Reform mayor, Thomas Murray, a 600% pay rise.
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But Farage immediately hit back: “I’ve no idea! Whether what you say is true or not, I’ve no idea.”
“Is that the right thing to do in principle?” Kuenssberg asked.
“I’ve no idea, it’s a town council – 600%, what is it from what?” Farage said.
She replied: “A payment of £500 up to £3,500 –”
“I don’t know, is he or she doing it as a full-time job? I’ve no idea,” he said dismissively.
But Kuenssberg kept pushing: “In principle is that the right thing to do?”
He replied: “What we could do is get multi-millionaires to stand as candidates everywhere, and indeed our [government waste] DOGE team are doing the work, unpaid, right?
“If people have got resources and they want to do it for free, that’s great. I don’t know the Scarborough circumstances.”
The Reform-run council defended the hike, which was approved in a meeting last Wednesday, saying the mayor should not be left “out of pocket” for an unpaid position considering it involved an increase in responsibilities.
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They also noted that savings had already been made elsewhere – ignoring the irony that Reform has reportedly promised to give council taxpayers “better value for money and reduce excessive expenditure”.
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His responses impressed very few people on social media as the public raged over his “unserious” reaction – and even accused him of “running” from problems…
Yeah if you can’t keep a handle on 10 councils, you probably shouldn’t attempt four nations, 350 constituencies and 26 government departments. https://t.co/NQuVbcMUNr
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Yeah if you can’t keep a handle on 10 councils, you probably shouldn’t attempt four nations, 350 constituencies and 26 government departments. https://t.co/NQuVbcMUNr
Doesn’t know. Doesn’t care. Never has done. Complete fucking charlatan. Will this country ever move on from this reductive gobshite? https://t.co/8tRQ7E8Oce
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Doesn’t know. Doesn’t care. Never has done. Complete fucking charlatan. Will this country ever move on from this reductive gobshite? https://t.co/8tRQ7E8Oce
Firstly, why is he getting still more air time? Secondly, what do you expect? Nothing is ever down to him. Not me mate, big boy done it and ran away. https://t.co/TOtWsZ1oTV
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Firstly, why is he getting still more air time? Secondly, what do you expect? Nothing is ever down to him. Not me mate, big boy done it and ran away. https://t.co/TOtWsZ1oTV
Farage also seemed dismissive of other, much larger, questions about money elsewhere in the interview when he was asked how much it would cost to privatise 50% of the water industry – one of Reform’s major policy proposals.
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He just said it “doesn’t need to be a big sum of money.”
So commentators on X quickly drew attention to the way Kuenssberg scrutinised Reform’s economic credibility…
Straight out the Trump playbook – say something that sounds good but have no way of backing it up. I understand that people are disillusioned with existing establishments parties, but to just blindly start following and voting for Farage will be a catastrophic mistake. https://t.co/bmtDm6NNOD
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I understand that people are disillusioned with existing establishments parties, but to just blindly start following and voting for Farage will be a catastrophic mistake. https://t.co/bmtDm6NNOD— Stuart Wright (@weebaldy79) July 20, 2025\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Stuart Wright on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/weebaldy79/status/1946881039864877512","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"687cbbc2e4b06691ec24955a","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/farage-downplays-outcry-over-mayors-salary-boost_uk_687cbbc2e4b06691ec24955a","entryTagsList":"bbc,nigel-farage,reform-uk,@ai_seo_headline","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":6},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"687cbbc2e4b06691ec24955a","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"bbc","slug":"bbc","links":{"relativeLink":"news/bbc","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/bbc","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/bbc"},"relegenceId":4179017,"section":{"title":"News","slug":"news"},"topic":{"title":"BBC","slug":"bbc","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/bbc/"},{"name":"nigel farage","slug":"nigel-farage","links":{"relativeLink":"news/nigel-farage","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/nigel-farage","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/nigel-farage"},"relegenceId":3592238,"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/nigel-farage/"},{"name":"reform uk","slug":"reform-uk","links":{"relativeLink":"news/reform-uk","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/reform-uk/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":false,"bodyAds":["
Straight out the Trump playbook – say something that sounds good but have no way of backing it up. I understand that people are disillusioned with existing establishments parties, but to just blindly start following and voting for Farage will be a catastrophic mistake. https://t.co/bmtDm6NNOD
Nigel Farage is the very definition of a Marmite politician.
His opponents harbour feelings for him which range between contempt and outright hatred, while his supporters believe he can do no wrong.
The Reform UK leader’s ability to divide opinion was demonstrated at prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, when opposing MPs heckled him as he tried to ask Keir Starmer about the small boats crisis.
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At one point, a Reform MP could be heard shouting “will you shut up” at his detractors as Farage continued to make his point.
Moments like that do Farage no harm at all. He presents himself as the anti-establishment politician speaking up on behalf of ordinary voters. How better can that be demonstrated than by MPs from the governing party trying to drown him out in the Commons?
And while Reform UK suffer blows which would be hugely damaging for other parties, they continue to lead in the polls and take council seats off their opponents.
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In the past week alone, their number of MPs was once again reduced from five to four following James McMurdock’s decision to sit as an independent following allegations about his business dealings prior to entering politics.
And yet, a new poll published on Friday by Techne UK showed Reform’s lead over Labour is actually growing, with the Tories languishing 11 points behind Farage’s party in third place.
According to Luke Tryl of the More in Common think-tank, voters’ misgivings about Farage and his party are outweighed by their unhappiness with both Labour and the Tories.
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He said: “There is a difference between Reform’s previous voters are their newer voters. Their previous voters are much more ideologically motivated, their newer voters are much more likely to say they are disillusioned by mainstream parties. They are the group I like to call the ‘roll the dice’ voters.
“We did a focus group in Lanark before that by-election, which Labour gained from the SNP but was a reasonably close three-way race.
“I spoke to someone who was voting for Nigel Farage, who said ‘personally I think the guy’s an arsehole, but I’m going to give him a shot because he can’t be any worse than the others’.
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“I think that’s the attitude which is driving it. Lots of people say they don’t have any confidence in any politician of any party, but we may as well roll the dice on something new.”
There is no doubt that Labour’s less-than-stellar start to life in government has helped Farage.
Voters who backed Keir Starmer a year ago and are backing Reform “are more likely to say that they’ve switched because the government have failed to get immigration under control”, said Tryl.
He added: “It isn’t that the government hasn’t done a lot of popular things, but they’re drowned out by winter fuel, prisoner releases, farmers’ tax and the benefits cuts – they have defined in the public’s mind that the government has done so far.
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“The government isn’t protecting the people that the public would like them to.”
This view was typified by Tim, a teacher who has switched from Labour to Reform in the past 12 months.
He told a More in Common focus group that Labour was “taking money off people with benefits and making life harder for them, but still letting the energy giants have huge bonuses every year”.
And while just one-third of voters say Farage respects people like them, that is still far more than the third who feel the same way about the prime minister and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.
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A former Tory cabinet minister pointed outthat the normal rules of politics do not apply to Farage and Reform, and until his party and Labour wake up to that fact, nothing will change.
“The establishment parties are still playing into Reform’s hands,” he said. ”Reform are controlling the game at the moment. As we head into the summer recess, they’re still setting the agenda.
“Colleagues are getting bogged down on this nonsense about an MP leaving Reform – it doesn’t matter out there in the real world. A Reform councillor doing something appalling doesn’t matter. It might have some local impact but in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter.”
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The solution, the MP said, was for Labour and the Tories to keep their promises to the electorate.
“Politicians have to do what they say they’re going to do,” he said. “You might not agree with Donald Trump, but voters like the fact that he does what he said he was going to do.”
Berry, who served under three Conservative PMs, including his close friend Boris Johnson, said the mainstream parties had “broken Britain”.
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But one of his former Tory colleagues said the significance of his defection had been overstated.
The MP said: “People like Jake Berry and [former Tory minister now Reform UK mayor] Andrea Jenkyns were not popular people. They are evidence of the mistakes of the past.
“If they were defections by people who were respected then that is a different kettle of fish. But their motivations are pretty transparent – she did it to become mayor of Lincolnshire and he wants to be mayor of Lancashire.
Nevertheless, Berry’s defection undoubtedly put further wind in the Reform sails.
If more senior Tories followed, and were joined by some from Labour, then Farage will be smiling again – regardless of what some of voters think of him.
Back in late 2023 before he was elected to parliament, Farage caused a huge stir by appearing in the hit reality TV show.
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Even the programme’s hosts Ant and Dec urged producers to take a break from having politicians as contestants.
But, Farage still won over voters and ended up in third place.
More than 18 months later, a panel of voters who backed Labour last July told pollsters that his appearance on the show marked the moment they started warming up to the MP for Clacton.
In footage aired by the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, one voter told pollsters More in Common: “I really like Reform.
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“I didn’t [like him], but it was I’m A Celeb… which turned my head for Nigel.
“I really saw a different side to him and I think he’s very misunderstood.”
“He’s more relatable to people, to the average person,” another woman said. “Whereas some politicians at the present seem far removed, they’re so in another world, because they are public school educated, they can’t relate to the average person.”
However, a different person did jump in at this point, saying: “Nigel Farage was publicly educated, while Keir Starmer is working class but he does present that.
“So Nigel Farage puts on this image of being one of the people, but actually he went to private school.”
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Even so, some voters suggested they would fire Starmer for his “disappointing” performance over the last year unless he starts to “try harder”.
Good Morning Britain host Susanna Reid also told the BBC that this conversation demonstrated how voters “need to feel a material difference in their lives”.
She noted that they are still struggling with food inflation and cost of living, so the “government are getting this wrong”.
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“Perhaps Sir Keir Starmer needs to go on I’m A Celebrity… or Strictly, in order for voters to know who he is,” Reid suggested. “The words that kept coming out of their mouths were: I don’t know who he is.”
The focus group’s findings were published to mark the anniversary of Labour’s landslide victory in the general election as political pundits look at how Starmer has fallen down in the polls ever since.
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Sky News had its own devastating way of portraying Labour’s first year in office with some brutal word clouds, again from More in Common.
The pollsters asked the public: “In a word or two, what would you say has been Labour’s biggest achievement in government?”
The largest word by a healthy margin was “nothing”, although – in much smaller fonts – NHS, welfare, winter, election and Ukraine were all visible too.
A Reform UK MP has suspended himself from the party over allegations about “business propriety during the pandemic”.
James McMurdock removed the whip from himself after being contacted by The Sunday Times.
The paper approached him about £70,000 in government Covid “bounce back” loans he allegedly took out in 2020 and 2021 for two firms he owned.
In a statement, Reform MP Lee Anderson said: “I have today received a call from James McMurdock who has advised me, as chief whip, that he has removed the party whip from himself pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations that are likely to be published by a national newspaper.
“The allegations relate to business propriety during the pandemic and before he became an MP.”
He said the party “take these matters very seriously and James has agreed to cooperate in full with any investigation”.
McMurdock was elected the MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock last year.
It later emerged that he was jailed nearly 20 years ago for repeatedly kicking his then girlfriend.
At the time, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he was “a fine young man who’s turned out really very, very well”.
McMurdock is the second of the five Reform MPs elected last July to no longer have the party whip.
Rupert Lowe was suspended by the party in March amid allegations of bullying, which he denied, and now also sits as an independent MP in the Commons.
Reform UK’s former chairman has said the party would deport all illegal immigrants, despite Nigel Farage previously saying it was “impossible”.
Zia Yusuf made the pledge in his first broadcast interview since returning to a senior role in the party.
He stunned Westminster by resigning as chairman on Thursday, only to return to the fold 48 hours later. Yusuf is now heading up Reform’s equivalent of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
On Radio 4′s Today programme this morning, he said: “Reform will deport every illegal immigrant in this country.
“I want to be crystal clear about what my position is, and Reform UK’s position is, which is we will deport everybody who is here in this country illegally, which is roughly about 1.2 million people.”
But that put him at odds with Farage, who last year declared that mass deportations could not be done.
Asked by GB News if he supported removing all illegal immigrants, he said: “It’s impossible to do. Literally impossible to do.
“For us, at the moment, it’s a political impossibility.”
Asked if it was his ambition to be able to do it, Farage replied: “No. So it’s pointless even going there.
“It’s a political impossibility, we simply can’t do it.”
