The last 48 hours have witnessed a veritable epidemic of FDS, a collective meltdown that would be comical if it weren’t so pathetically predictable. It all stems from a recent poll by Merlin Strategy, a fresh-faced polling outfit helmed by Scarlet Maguire, a former BBC and ITV politics producer who’s built a reputation for sharp, no-nonsense analysis – most recently in a valuable piece in the New Statesman, looking at the way that young women are swinging leftwards.. Their latest survey, commissioned for The Telegraph and dated just before the new year, dropped a bombshell: on balance, Reform UK is more trusted than any other party to run the economy. Yes, you read that right. Not Labour’s hapless crew, still fumbling with their socialist spreadsheets. Not the Tories, whose economic stewardship resembles a drunkard at a casino. But Reform UK, the upstarts led by that perennial thorn in the establishment’s side, Nigel Farage. The numbers, buried in that Excel file of raw data, paint a picture of public disillusionment with the status quo, Reform edging out the competition in net trust scores on economic management.
For the FDS sufferers, this was intolerable. Their brains, already addled by years of wishing Farage into obscurity, short-circuited spectacularly.
The man is thought a knave, or fool,
Or bigot, plotting crime,
Who, for the advancement of his kind,
Is wiser than his time.
For him the hemlock shall distill;
For him the axe be bared;
For him the gibbet shall be built;
For him the stake prepared.
Him shall the scorn and wrath of men
Pursue with deadly aim;
And malice, envy, spite, and lies,
Shall desecrate his name.
But Truth shall conquer at the last,
For round and round we run;
And ever the Right comes uppermost,
And ever is Justice done.
Eternal Justice, Charles MacKay
The article does not explain what Nigel Farage’s economic policies are or how they differ from Kemi Badenoch’s economic policies.
There are a lot of words in the article – but nothing to really make a judgement. Either positive or negative.
I am reminded of the, highly successful, Reform Party local election campaign of last year – where we told that Reform would cut council tax by “sending in the auditors”.
Local authorities spend very large sums of money on auditors (both internal and external) every year, so “we will send in the auditors” sounded clever (and was certainly popular with voters), but did not actually mean anything – and, of course, Council Tax in the authorities that the Reform Party now control is not being cut, it is being increased by 4.9% – and new taxes (such as on second homes) are also being introduced.
Do not mistake me…..
Mr Farage may have brilliant economic ideas that Mrs Badenoch does not have – but this article does not mention any.
We need to be shown the specific policies of Nigel Farage – and have it explained how they are better (if they are better) than the policies of Kemi Badenoch.
As for “Farage Derangement Syndrome”.
Mr Farage appears to be a nice man, there is certainly nothing unpleasant about him.
I do not understand why anyone would hate him.
That is not what the article is about. And it is not what the poll to which Towler refers was about either. The poll asked: “Who do you trust on the economy?” and the answer was “Reform”.
It is nothing to do with policies. People don’t trust the Tories because of their 14 years of lies, failure and lying about the reasons for their failure. Tory stewardship of the economy (and everything else) was a grotesque mess.
“People do not trust the Conservatives” should read “The people who have consistently voted Conservative in the past will not now vote conervative”. IMO this is because of the lack of anything Conservative about them and I also think that a great many of this cohort watched the cynical betrayal of the Brexit opportunity by the very party who gave them a referendum on the matter. And they have decided to punish the bastards for a generation. I have. Thusly did we get a Labour landslide handed to 2TK on the back of getting fewer votes than the Magic Grandpa. So although Starmer has MPs, he does not have a legitimate mandate of any kind in the eyes of the people, let alone one that Blair could fairly claim in 1997.
mongoose – in what way is Nigel Farage more Conservative than Kemi Badenoch? I am open to being convinced, but I require specific policy evidence.
As for “Brexit” – there is the problem right there, both you and me wanted INDEPENDENCE, that is what we voted for, but we got “Brexit” – a word without meaning. The officials and “experts” laughed – and their laughter was cruel, but justified. Although YES dreadful people, such as Mrs May, were only too happy to go along with the officials and “experts”. Once the conversation was changed from independence to “Brexit” we-had-lost, we had lost because “Brexit” can mean anything – because it means nothing. “No Paul – it means independence” then say independence.
Marius – “that is not what the article is about”, the article is not really about anything, it is just rhetoric.
Irrespective of what the actual question was I’m sure most people heard and answered to the following:-
“which of the incompetent lying bastards do you mistrust the least?”.
“I am reminded of the, highly successful, Reform Party local election campaign of last year – where we told that Reform would cut council tax by “sending in the auditors……..and, of course, Council Tax in the authorities that the Reform Party now control is not being cut, it is being increased by 4.9% – and new taxes (such as on second homes) are also being introduced.”
It was foolish of Reform to promise any great efficiency savings in local government, the wise know that LG is just a wholly owned subsidiary of Big State Government, and as such cannot control probably 90% of its expenditures, which are all mandated by law, ie from the centre.
However the failure of Reform to reduce expenditure or council taxes in its councils should not be taken to mean that they cannot do exactly that at a national level. Its a whole different ball game once you get hold of a Parliamentary majority. Suddenly all the things the State wastes its money on are up for grabs. Net zero, welfare, SEND, pension entitlements, immigration costs are all suddenly controllable in a way a LA has no say over. The scale of the waste is such that any party prepared to slaughter a few sacred cows can easily cut their expenditures by tens even hundreds of billions in next to no time. That is where the battle lies, not in Town Halls up and down the country.
I have no idea whether they will be up to this battle, or will win it, but the battle is there to be won, if they hold their nerve.
Every great rhetorician knows that the most persuasive way to win the crowd — despite being not really about anything — is to cite the details of incorporation for private limited companies involved in the conspiracy theory you’re debunking.
Paul Marks – in what way is Nigel Farage more Conservative than Kemi Badenoch? I am open to being convinced, but I require specific policy evidence.
I expressed no opinion about that, and Kemi is alright by me actually. I was only commenting on the trust issue.
It is now 36 years from 1990 when Maggie T was betrayed. In the intervening period, the so-called Conservatives have shown us Major, Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak. Of these, only Truss and perhaps, in his peculiar way, Johnson (until bewildered by Covid), were even remotely Conservative in outlook. So the Conservatives have been teaching me for 2/3rds of my adult lifetime that they do not believe. Every time anybody even ressembling a Conservative leads the party, the vermin stab them in the back. And I’m done now. Burn it all down and start again. And I am not alone. It is too late to save the Conservatives by reason and working hard. You have lost us.
But you are right, Paul, in your many writings here, the real battle is the one to be fought against the internationalist blob. Only Farage of anyone I can see can start that. And he seems to wisely be picking his targets. An all-out war on a limited and controllable front to begin with. Take the ground, fortify and then move on. It will be bloody and unforgiving work.
Paul Marks is once again criticising an article for not being about what he wants the article to be about.
I rather expect that if Mr. Farage becomes a threat to the political power of the british Nomenklatura, that he will either have an accident, or find himself in some sort of disqualifying legal bind.
Subotai Bahadur
Surely the derangement syndrome is believing the tory/labour unitreason party are worthy of a vote!?
I rather expect that if Mr. Farage becomes a real threat to the Nomenklatura in power, that he will either have an accident or will find himself in some sort of disqualifying legal bind.
Subotai Bahadur
The big difference between Nige and Femi is that although Reform’s MPs in the next Parliament will include a number, probably a considerable number, of chancers, it is reasonable to suspect that the Reform MPs will be overwhelmingly as right wing as Nige, or more so. Whereas it is reasonable to suspect that most current Tory MPs and most that will get into the next Parliament are well to the left of both Nige and Kemi. So Kemi’s troops will not follow her into the battle that needs to be fought.
In one sense Kemi seems more conservative than Nige. She’s more cautious. Nige’s political career can hardly be described as cautious. Whether Kemi’s relative caution is an advantage in current circumstances is doubtful. When something like fire and the sword, or at least the overturning of apple carts is required, the careful matron is a less likely leader than the rascally urchin. It was after all that most rascally and self pleasing urchin Boris the Bad who got a sort of a Brexit done.
But mostly never mind Kemi, I just don’t trust the Tories. It’s been one weasel after another ever since the sainted Maggie was deposed, with a pack of weasels in support.
I just listened to Mr Farage on GB News – I often do, he has his own show.
The Gentleman seemed upset that Sussex (West and East) is not having an election in May – what would the Reform Party do if these elections were held, and the Reform Party won?
Would it “send in the auditors”? The main (and utterly farcical – see my previous comment on this) line of the, very successful, Reform Party local election campaign of 2025.
Or is it really a question of which people get the pay for the year or so these councils remain in existence before the Labour government abolishes them?
I was in this line of the work myself, so I am not being a prude – just say “we want there to be elections, because we want the money” just be honest – do not pretend it is about “better government” for people in Sussex (or where ever).
By the way – Parliament is not much different, new Members of Parliament who go there thinking that Parliament makes policy – soon find out that it does not.
But the pay and perks are comforting.
Also in once “Great’ Britain:
https://www.danielgreenfield.org/2026/01/uk-muslim-minister-ignores-muslim.html#more
Whatever happened to the old song line about Britons “never ever, ever” becoming slaves?
Paul’s complaint about the gap between Reform’s promises and Reform’s delivery in local government caused the Tolkein line “”Oft evil will shall evil mar” to pop into my head.
Labour’s shenanigans with cancelled elections, which the Tories have hardly made a song and dance about, are plainly intended to prick the Reform bubble by denying them the “oxygen of publicity” arising from local election wins. But what if the main effect is to make sure that most voters do not get to experience the above gap ? Reform remains the “out” team, responsible for nothing. A good place from which to start the next General Election campaign. Maybe a boo-boo from Sir Keir, or as I prefer, Sir Rodney. He just looks and acts exactly as you’d expect from a “Rodney.”
Speaking of “slavery”:
https://accordingtohoyt.com/2026/01/08/chattel/#comments
Robert Jenrick protested about immigration policy NOT being made by elected people – but, instead, being made by officials and “experts”, indeed he resigned from the government over this matter.
If the Reform Party is serious about policy being made by Parliament, not by officials and “experts”, Robert Jenrick is exactly the sort of person they would ally with – but the Reform Party candidate for Mayor of London (not Lord Mayor – Mayor of the Greater London Authority, an organization that should-not-exist) says she does not want Robert Jenrick = and smeared him, both in the Daily Telegraph newspaper and on GB News this morning – I watched the lady do it.
It is possible (although NOT certain) that the real issue here is the religion of Robert Jenrick’s wife and the religion of the Reform Party candidate for the Mayor of London. We do NOT know – but the attack on Robert Jenrick was baffling.
Both Ben Habib (the former Deputy Leader of the Reform Party) and Rupert Lowe M.P. (once a leading member of the Reform Party) warned about the influence of Zia Yusuf – now there is Lialia Cunningham to consider – although the lady may have some other reason for her personal attack on Robert Jenrick (it may NOT be a religious matter concerning his wife – it may be some personal dispute which is unrelated to religion).
I repeat – if the Reform Party was serious about immigration Robert Jenrick (who resigned his ministerial post over precisely this matter) would be the sort of person they would be allying with – they would not be smearing him in the newspapers and on national television.
Lee Moore – I AGREE with Nigel Farage that the elections should have gone ahead, because I am against the local government reorganization.
Reorganizations do not “save money”, quite the reverse, and the plan appears to be vast Regional Governments, although not by that name, with elected “Mayors” who would be more like Governors – and although they would not have any real power over POLICY (which would continue being made by officials and “experts” – this being Britain) they would get lots of pay and perks.
As for the performance of Reform controlled local councils – not good, but then most policy is really made by officials and “experts”, both in local government and national government.
Just occasionally elected people really do make decisions, rather than rubber stamp the decisions of officials and “experts”.
Bruce – to be fair to Lialia Cunningham, the lady is OPPOSED to the proposed “Islamophobia” laws which are intended to put people like myself in prison for three years without Jury trial.
As for the Ninth and Tenth Amendments of the Constitution of the United States – I do indeed support them, which means that I believe that most things the Federal Government spends money on are Unconstitutional.
Bobby Jenrick is a Remainer chancer angling for leadership of the Tory party. Reform may try to recruit him nonetheless, but it should. be wary of including too many opportunistic jumpers from the Fake Conservatives.
Ay yes, the old “poor Tories were unable to do anything to fight the blob in 14 years” line trotted out so often. Suella Braverman did a YouTube interview recently in which she said that Sunak refused to stem legal migration because he wanted to boost GDP growth figures. Just like Johnson and the other Plastic Tories. The policies they enacted were those they wanted.
I want to be governed by my own kind, indigenous white English Christian men. I’m sick and tired of being governed by ethnics and communists.
It is possible (although NOT certain) that the real issue here is the religion of Robert Jenrick’s wife
I cannot let that comment pass unchallenged. You need to do a lot better Paul.
Paul, a key objective of Reform is ideally the utter destruction of the Tory Party with the intention of replacing them. So expecting Reform to make nice with Tories like Jenrick is unrealistic, just as the ‘Conservatives’ have been consistently hostile to Reform because Reform is an existential threat. That is also why Starmer memorably said he could live with the Tories forming a government again but not Reform.
It seems to me that the conservatives brand has the same problem as the Brexit brand.
In the same way that “Brexit means Brexit” somehow became a thing, we now have “Conservative means Conservative” (or “Tory means Tory”).
As ever, the devil is in the detail. I suspect that most of the regulars on here would prefer “Conservative means Thatcherite” rather than “Conservative means One Nation” etc.
Of all of the parties that are standing, Reform is the closest to being the squint-and-it-could-be-Maggie party – if only because the other parties have proven that they are no such thing.
Accurate
What Lee Moore said. Kemi Badenoch talks a good talk, and may even mean it, and genuinely understand what is needed to save the UK, but her party is still the party that was in power for over a decade and not only managed the decline but also accelerated it. They will not vote for the measures that will need to be taken. A party leader needs troops behind him or her that can be relied on. We know the average Tory MP is about as reliable as a 1970s Austin Allegro. I think Reform’s biggest problem will be MPs who want even more right wing policies, rather than constantly threatening to backslide, like the majority of the Tory party would if faced with a fight.