... to think that Nigel Farage will be our next PM?

[ohime]

Or, more accurately: AIBU to be afraid that truly nasty piece of work Nigel Farage who has, by all accounts, always been utterly useless at (or at least completely uninterested in) the actual business end of governing will be our next PM because everyone is so fed up with all the other parties being, variously or all at once, so corrupt, incompetent and useless that we've collectively abandoned all hope? I will never vote for Farage, who is a horrible man, or any of his party which keeps having to fire people for being just a teensy bit too overtly racist - but it seems from the polls that for many people the choice against the status quo outweighs what we may be choosing. (For an example, I can't believe that Farage's stated position that DOGE in the US didn't go far enough with its swinging cuts to the social safety net would be popular with UK voters who recently elected a government on the basis that it would reverse years of Tory austerity... not that that's worked out so well...)

I agree he will be the next PM. The mainstream parties continue to ignore and dismiss the concerns of the working classes and their lives get poorer and more hopeless. Labour treat the poor as a problem to solve. Farage - whatever you think of him, snake oil salesman or not - is speaking to them directly. That’s very powerful politically. It’s what Trump did when everyone laughed at the mere idea he’d ever be president. It’ll happen here.

I think he will. Nightmare.

I seriously cannot believe that would happen but then I had trouble imaging Boris as PM. Surely people must remember how useless Farage is? It'll take our country to an even lower low than it's at now.

I don’t think he will in the sense he would actually have to work v hard which is something he doesn’t like

could reform make it yes. not with him though it is a job that really would show up his laziness

There is a part of me that is glad there are now Reform Councils. Let's see whether they deliver on their promises. I suspect they won't (and can't).

The next General Election is too far away to be speculating that NF will be PM next! Unless another one is called soon! 😱

The country will be like A fucking Handmaids Tale in Farage gets in. 😱

Yep. @Screamingabdabz summarises it nicely. People won't necessarily vote because they really want Reform, but as a protest vote against the absolute mess Labour are making at the moment. People are angry, and rightly so. This always plays out at the ballot.

What I don't understand is why the Labour supporters can't appeal to their labour MPs to be better, rather than simply hand-wring and moan about Reform. This is absolutely playing into Reforms hands! I'm so disillusioned with politics I'll provide for them myself... They can't be any worse than Labour and I don't say that lightly.

A lot can change in 3 years. A week is a long time in politics, 3 years is unimaginable. But if there was a GE tomorrow he may well be pm. He'd have my vote. Drastic change is needed.

I'm very concerned this could happen. Could the new party take some reform voters? I'm not so sure but we could hope, I guess! It could be a sleepwalk situation where people think it won't happen then it does (a bit like Brexit imo)

If people were dumb enough to vote for Brexit then they're certainly dumb enough to vote for Farage as PM.

For people who only engage with politics on a headline level see Farage as one of the most successful politicians ever. Objectively he is. He took a single policy party and made it a reality. Brexit was a direct result of years Farage’s political campaigning. Look at the recent local elections. People voted for Reform in swathes because Farage speaks to them. That’s why we now have children running multi million Councils. It’s bad but what does it say about mainstream politics?

I think if there is even a remote possibility after the next general election, Keir Starmer will retire in 2028 and there will be a new Labour leader.

And this rhetoric is why people vote for extreme right wing political parties. Well done.

I sincerely hope not, but yes he probably will.

imho, yabvu because worrying doesn't improve anything.

If you don't like the guy then think about what strategy you'll need to follow to keep your own mental health/ local community as good as they can be. You have influence over those things.

if you just wanted to start a thread where everyone moans about 'terrible Reform !' then I am being very U to participate in it. I hate moaning threads !!

I'll hide this one in a moment.

I certainly hope he is.

At this point just to upset the boring idiots who just keep saying "aaaah he's so racist" on repeat.

How?

The stars are aligning. He will seize his chance. He’s all talk. He’s a grifter. He won’t be able to do anything he’s claiming he will. He spouts populist views repeating what the man on the street wants to hear. Dangerous times ahead.

I could not agree more - I am a lifelong Labour, remain voting, Guardian reader (etc) and I'd never vote for Reform / Brexit but if people just continue to call people who do/ did thick and ignorant {etc) then we'll get nowhere, except maybe a Reform government.

It's this kind of statement that means Reform are likely to get in! Calling people stupid and dumb just pushes them further in the other direction. Some of the concerns people have are valid, ignoring them and a sweeping brush saying they are stupid does nothing to help. Its exactly what happened in the US elections and the democrats still couldn't understand it when it happened - I have no idea why as it's so bloody obvious. The left/Labour need to start thinking about this seriously or we will end up with Farage as PM.

I think it'll be Rupert Lowe actually

Shhh... let them carry on

I wouldn't be surprised.

You are correct, he is all talk. People will see this in due course and it'll be Rupert Lowe they turn to