Nigel Farage believes Reform has the chance to win Westminster seats it is can govern well locally (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
A victorious Nigel Farage promised “the best is yet to come” as he delivered a brutal warning to Sir Keir Starmer against attempting to rescue his premiership by pursuing closer links with the European Union. He boasted of blowing apart the “traditional class system in British politics” in the wake of elections which saw Reform UK win more than 1,400 council seats, beat Labour in Wales and draw level with Sir Keir’s party in Scotland. The crisis-hit Prime Minister is defying calls to quit and will on Monday make the case for closer links with the European Union in a major speech. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Express, Mr Farage warned of electoral disaster for Sir Keir if he takes the UK closer to Europe.
Pointing to Brexit-supporting areas where voters abandoned Labour to support Reform in Thursday’s election, he said: “If Starmer does that, then he is giving us the north of England and the Midlands on a plate.”
Warning of how the European Commission would approach negotiations with a weakened prime minister, he said: “They’ll take his money, they will make us less competitive and take advantage of us in every way.”
The 62-year-old party leader admitted he was “very, very pleased” at having “taken out the Labour party” on a “historic scale” in swathes of the country. He believes Reform can now lay the foundation for success at the next Westminster election.
“I think that if Reform prove themselves to be capable and competent in the north of England, then I believe we can win all of these seats at the next general election,” he said.
Insisting an outright Westminster majority is now possible, he said: “Yes, it’s all about momentum and, you know, big success if used correctly leads to momentum and that is absolutely our goal, yes.”
Read more: Nigel Farage crushes Zack Polanski in battle to win Britons’ trust on defence
Read more: Britain invited to rejoin the EU 10 years after Brexit referendum
He suspects there is a “very good chance” of a general election, which must take place no later than August 15, 2029, being held next year.
Warning of the consequences of Sir Keir staying in post and Labour not holding an election until 2029, he said: “The economic and social consequences for the country don’t bear thinking of.” He said his greatest fear if the PM does not go is that “we continue to economically and societally spiral downwards at a rapid rate”.
Sir Keir has rushed to steady the Labour ship by appointing former PM and Chancellor Gordon Brown and deputy leader Baroness Harman to advisory positions. However, Mr Farage expects that senior Labour figures will now consider defecting to Reform.
He said: “I think that becomes more likely by the day. It’ll be a slow burn but, yes, I do believe there is a genuine realignment going on.”
Mr Farage also predicted Reform would win the Greater Manchester mayoralty if Andy Burnham – widely seen as a potential successor to Sir Keir – steps down to fight a Westminster seat.
When asked if he has a candidate in mind to succeed Mr Burnham, he said: “I do, I’m not going to name them just yet.”
He is heartened that, as well as taking control of Labour councils, Reform has won in traditionally Tory areas such as Essex. Six members of the Conservative shadow cabinet are Essex MPs, and Mr Farage said the Tory leader’s seat is “hugely” at risk.
Nigel Farage claims Kemi Badenoch’s own seat is under threat from his party (Image: TOLGA AKMEN/EPA/Shutterstock)
Describing how the political landscape of Britain has changed, he said the election represented the “complete breaking of the old thoughts that Left and Right in British politics are determined by class”.
“No longer,” he said. “And the traditional class system in British politics was blown apart.”
Casting Reform as the “party of working people”, he said: “We are the party of those who work on the local councils, we’re the party of those in trade unions, we’re the party of those who are self-employed, and we’re the party of those who wear smart suits and work in offices. The common denominator of our support across the country is that our voters get up early in the morning and go to work.”
As a result of Sir Keir’s weakening in the Labour party, he said, there is “almost no chance now” that the Prime Minister will be able to secure welfare reform, which Mr Farage considers essential in securing a better Britain.
He claimed Labour had already “given in” on immigration controls, and said that “on the economics, I fear things are just going to get worse”.
A Labour source defended the Government’s plans to change the relationship with the European Union, saying: “We were elected on a manifesto that promised we would make Brexit work by resetting our relationship with our European friends, neighbours and allies. Our deal will get rid of unnecessary red tape and be good for jobs, bills and borders.”