I don't agree. The far right was always there, but in reality they are still small and niche. We need to be careful, Farage and his ilk are odious little toads, they are on the right - they are not far right. Anyone who thinks they are simply hasn't met the far right. Farage represents something different - Populism. It might end in facism, it may not, but in many ways it is far more dangerous than fascism because it is insidious. It worms into the minds of average, ordinary people in ways that fascism cannot. In the '50's - '70's (and beyond) there was racism but it didn't have a pervasive hold on the population - prejudice did, but it isn't quite the same. My dad held out and out racist views thanks to spending far too much time reading the Daily Express - but it was always about "them". Every single non-white person he met he liked, got on well with and had so many non-white friends it was unbelieveable how he squared that circle! Populism though, turns your neighbours into the enemy as well.
Populism is characterised by an "us and them" narrative pitting "the pure people" against a "corrupt elite," leading to distrust in established institutions and experts, and a rejection of technocratic governance. Populism is a political tactic, not tied to a specific ideology, that emphasises the "will of the people" to gain support and can be a powerful tool, whilst eroding democratic processes. Take a look at the USA with the National Guard now a political weapon of the President.
I cannot recommend highly enough Ece Temelkuran's book How to Lose a Country. Despite now being "old" (2019) it demonstrates very clearly how Populism works ad the dangers it represents.
But what is the difference between "now" and "back then"? Believe me, we weren't prosperous back then. There was plenty of poverty. A richer country perhaps, didn't make for a richer people. To me what made a difference was that we had community - and by that I don't just mean neighbourhood, although those local ties are important. We had unions, educational institutions - all sorts of things that connected people. Since Thatcher it has been every man for themselves - selfishness and self-interest has risen exponentially. In the main, people care less and less about others or the collective. Their "connections" in real life diminish to smaller and smaller circles, whilst their "friends" and "followers" and "followed" become more and more "real" than actual lived experience.
And I will stop there before I end up with six more paragraphs on the end days of capitalism! Suffice to say, lots of people saw this coming. Most people though, were looking the other way. They still are.