All posts tagged: Nigel Farage

Morgan McSweeney swaps UK government for Ukraine-watching – POLITICO

Morgan McSweeney swaps UK government for Ukraine-watching – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

McSweeney, who was credited with meticulously devising Labour’s election success in 2024, is convinced that AI has not yet been used to the full extent of its capability to manipulate elections, and that any polls in Ukraine following a ceasefire will be a lightning rod for malign influence, according to people familiar with his thinking.  His allies say he is conscious of the potential for the use of AI to ramp up in British elections, where public trust in institutions is already low and Nigel Farage’s Reform Party is on the march. The ex-Downing Street aide is expected to appear on a panel alongside media executives and polling specialists Friday. McSweeney is the most prominent figure associated with British politics appearing at the Prague summit, after the Ministries of Defence and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office opted not to send any ministers. The conference is not yet seen as a “must-attend” event by government leaders in London, despite the British government’s stated commitment to integrate more closely with European allies on defense and security.  McSweeney’s …

Ex-commando Al Carns ‘keeping options open’ for challenge to Keir Starmer – POLITICO

Ex-commando Al Carns ‘keeping options open’ for challenge to Keir Starmer – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Some Labour MPs have viewed the ex-commander as a possible future leadership candidate since arriving at Westminster — but his supporters have brought that timeline forward and insist he must be part of any contest which takes place this year, following a series of blows to Starmer’s authority. The prime minister has said he is staying put after his health secretary, Wes Streeting, resigned, and longtime critic Burnham announced a bid to re-enter parliament to challenge him. More than 90 MPs have called for Starmer to set out a timeline to quit. While there is no leadership race currently underway, one is now more likely than it has been at any time under his premiership. Burnham and Streeting have both signaled their intention to stand for the top job, but three parliamentary allies of Carns — granted anonymity to discuss sensitive matters — argued that any competition must not be restricted to the two front-runners.  One Labour MP backing Carns said he appealed to a “broad spectrum” within the party, and on some issues, “he’s …

Brexit is already dominating the battle to replace Keir Starmer – POLITICO

Brexit is already dominating the battle to replace Keir Starmer – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“Many businesses are saying that it’s been a challenge, that Brexit and the way in which it was implemented has challenged their ability to be competitive to get access to the EU market and therefore we should be addressing those challenges not going back to the old argument [of] are we in or out,” she said. That position hasn’t stopped her blasting Farage over the decision to leave, accusing the Reform UK leader of having promised “the moon on a stick.” She’s also declared that “when we left the European Union people were promised more money into the NHS, your living standards will be better — and the opposite has happened.” Keir Starmer What about the man himself? Starmer’s position on the EU has shifted several times already. Running for leader in 2019, he pledged to defend the free movement of people. Then, in opposition, he made it a red line, along with staying out of the EU’s customs union and single market. Before taking power, he talked about Brexit as little as possible. In office, …

Starmer’s public defiance masks fury over betrayal by closest allies

Starmer’s public defiance masks fury over betrayal by closest allies

Published by Sam Flores

Despite the tranquillity of the Buckinghamshire countryside, there is no doubt Sir Keir Starmer will have felt the chaos emanating from Westminster. Chequers has long served as a bunker for prime ministers to weigh up high-stakes political moves. Although in public he has emphatically denied that he will quit, in private, Sir Keir was understood to have been contemplating his future while he spent the weekend at his grace-and-favour retreat. Last week, key players in the Cabinet turned their backs on the Prime Minister, and Andy Burnham made clear his ambitions for No 10. The Greater Manchester Mayor is an ever more painful thorn in Sir Keir’s side. On Thursday, he announced his aim to return to Westminster, setting his sights on winning the Makerfield by-election for Labour. The Prime Minister’s authority has been weakened by the disastrous May 7 local elections, in which Reform UK won several seats that had been held by Labour for decades, prompting Nigel Farage, the party’s leader, to welcome the “truly historic shift in British politics”. The results triggered …

EU is drawing up secret ‘Farage as PM’ plans | UK | News

EU is drawing up secret ‘Farage as PM’ plans | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

The European Union is preparing for the possibility of Nigel Farage becoming Prime Minister, the Irish Taoiseach has appeared to admit, as Brussels simultaneously piles pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to water down his Brexit red lines ahead of a crunch summit later this month. Speaking to Irish broadcaster RTE, Micheál Martin said: “Every scenario has to be planned for and has to be taken on board, and again, that would be a matter of the first instance for the United Kingdom, for the people of the United Kingdom.” He added: “If Nigel Farage becomes prime minister, Ireland will engage, but obviously his policies are completely at variance with ours in terms of the European Union.” What did the Irish Taoiseach say about Nigel Farage? The remarks landed at a moment when Mr Farage’s political fortunes are at their strongest in years, polling ahead of his rivals for more than 12 months as he rides a wave of local election successes accumulated on May 7th. The Taoiseach defended the beleaguered Prime Minister in the same …

Why running Britain is so hard, no matter who does it – POLITICO

Why running Britain is so hard, no matter who does it – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Things can’t only get better  It wasn’t always like this.  The last Labour prime minister to win big before Starmer was Tony Blair. When he came to power in 1997, the U.K. had a bigger economy than China’s, was a leading member of the growing European Union trade bloc, and was approaching peak oil and gas production in the North Sea. Blair led Britain for 10 years.  Nearly three decades on, Starmer inherited a country that has never really recovered from the economic shock of the 2008 financial crisis, is menaced by Russia, and now relies on imports for its energy security.  Keir Starmer celebrates winning the 2024 general election with a speech at Tate Modern in London on July 5, 2024. | Ricky Vigil/Getty Images It has found no lasting remedy for the resentment felt by many communities (outside London, the still-flourishing finance capital) who — over several decades — have seen traditional manufacturing roles move inexorably overseas. as the global economy tilts towards China and other rising powers.  “We had a pretty incredible run from the mid-to late-1980s, through the 1990s, until the [2008] crash,” said Jim O’Neill, a former chief economist at Goldman Sachs and an ex-Treasury …

POLL: Should foreign flags be banned from flying over public buildings? | Politics | News

POLL: Should foreign flags be banned from flying over public buildings? | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

Nigel Farage has reignited a fierce political row after vowing to ban foreign flags from flying above public buildings if Reform UK takes power. Now Express.co.uk readers are now being asked whether councils and other public bodies should only be allowed to fly British flags — or whether foreign flags should remain as symbols of solidarity and international support. The debate intensified after Reform councillors in Essex removed the Ukrainian flag from County Council headquarters, prompting criticism from James Cleverly. The former Home Secretary wrote on X: “One of the first decisions made by Essex Reform was to remove the Ukrainian flag from County Council HQ. Let that sink in.” Should foreign flags be banned from flying over public buildings? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comments. Mr Farage hit back by declaring: “Under Reform there will be no foreign flags flown above our public buildings.” Reform has already introduced flag restrictions in councils it controls, limiting displays to the Union Jack, the St George’s Cross and county flags. Party chairman …

The sectarian nightmare predicted by Enoch Powell is here – but Tommy Robinson is not the answer

The sectarian nightmare predicted by Enoch Powell is here – but Tommy Robinson is not the answer

Published by Sam Flores

In a disturbing snapshot of today’s Britain, the Henry Jackson Society published figures after this month’s local elections suggesting that more than 570 of new councillors were what it classed as “sectarian-style” candidates. The criteria used to define this were the emphases those candidates had, in their campaigns, put on issues of “Muslim communal grievance” and “transnational Muslim causes”. The Green Party, illustrating how it has stopped focusing on the environment or ecology, accounted for 350 of those councillors. What this has to do with local government is unclear; what it has to do with a complete failure of certain large Muslim communities to integrate into the British way of life is distressingly obvious. That, in turn, has provided a new opening for the far-Right agitator Tommy Robinson, whose Unite the Kingdom march in Westminster today is likely to be joined by many voters fed up with the government policies that have led to – or, at the least, failed to discourage – widespread segregation. Two miles away, activists taking part in the annual pro-Palestine …

Labour tries to unite — so Farage can’t wreck their leadership fight – POLITICO

Labour tries to unite — so Farage can’t wreck their leadership fight – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“Some estimates of his personal vote suggest he could have added up to 20 points or so to Labour’s vote share in Gorton and Denton, and 5 points on top of Labour vote intention nationwide,” as YouGov analyst Patrick English put it. “He’d need every bit of that personal boost to hold off Reform in Makerfield.” Farage’s team are vowing to throw money, activists and major national attention at the contest — and they’re planning for the leader to spend a lot of time on the ground in the campaign. “I struggle to see locals thinking voting Labour gets Starmer out,” said one of Farage’s advisers. There is early evidence though that the message will get across. The Social Market Foundation has been examining online notice boards as part of research into misinformation — and its analysts have already been picking up on conversations in Makerfield groups about how they’re potentially electing the next prime minister. There will be other distractions too. This is a by-election forced by the resignation of Josh Simons, who was …

Guardian photographer ‘exposed to risk’ after Farage shares press card picture

Guardian photographer ‘exposed to risk’ after Farage shares press card picture

Published by Sam Flores

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage gives a speech to supporters on Clacton Pier in Essex on 3 July 2024. Picture: PA Media/Ian West Reform leader Nigel Farage has said being visited by a Guardian photographer underlined why he needed extra security. The Guardian has issued a statement in defence of its journalist after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage shared an image of the photographer’s press card on social media. The photographer was taking photos of Farage from a public path, according to The Guardian, while working on a story related to allegations that the Reform leader failed to disclose a £5m gift from a Thailand-based crypto billionaire. Farage said, sharing a picture of the journalist’s press card on social media: “My security team just found this journalist from The Guardian at my property. This is exactly why I need security. Completely unacceptable.” The Guardian, which broke the story on 29 April that Farage has received a secret personal donation from a Thailand-based billionaire, said the photographer showed his NUJ Press Card when asked for identification …