As the multimillionaire Reform leader sparked ridicule claiming to represent working people
Founder of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, failed to turn up to his party’s election campaign launch today, as the current leader Richard Tice announced Farage was ‘assessing’ his return to the far-right political party.
Farage has been predicted to make a comeback to Reform in a lead role heading its election campaign. However he was a no-show at the news conference held today ahead of the 2024 election which offered an insight into the party’s plans this year.
Founded as the Brexit Party and renamed Reform UK in 2020, the anti-immigration fringe group currently holds no seats in parliament, and used the conference to launched an attack against ‘Starmergeddon’ and to capitalise on discontent with the Tory Party.
Trumping populist narratives, multi-millionaire Reform leader, Richard Tice, claimed to represent the ‘only party of the working people’. However commentators have said the privately education, asset management executive, property developer may struggle to prove that one.
Tice said Farage was the “master of political timing” as he seemed to beg Farage for his help to “save Britain”- “the more help Nigel is able to give frankly the better”.
However Farage previously said he could be Tory leader by 2026. Asked how he would feel if Farage ditched Reform and joined the Tories, Tice said he was “very confident” in Farage’s commitment to Reform.
“He’s our honorary president, you could just take away the honorary title and call him President Farage alongside President Trump. I think the country should be rather excited by that,” suggested Tice.
Farage attended the Tory Party conference in October where he spoke at a fringe event that was popular with Tory grassroots as the Conservative Party move further to the the far-right.
Pressed on what role Farage would play in Reform’s election campaign, Tice said: “A good poker player always keeps their cards close to their chest until the perfect moment.” He also said that Farage running to be a Reform UK MP was the “least likely thing” to happen this year.
It was announced that the co-deputy leader Ben Habib would be the party’s candidate at the Wellingborough by-election, where Tory MP Peter Bone recently lost his seat.
(Image credit: Flickr)
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward, focusing on trade unions and environmental issues
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