Nigel Farage vowed to save Britain from Labour chaos after Angela Rayner’s bombshell resignation. The Reform UK leader urged voters to kick out Sir Keir Starmer’s government, warning: “they’re not fit to govern”.
His stark message came after the Prime Minister was forced into another desperate reshuffle as Ms Rayner quit over her tax affairs. The emergency shake-up came just days after he tried to launch a Labour “Phase 2” following a torrid summer and consistently dire polls.
In a tubthumping speech at his party’s annual conference Mr Farage claimed Reform is on course to win a general election in two years. And he predicted that a new party formed by Jeremy Corbyn could splinter Labour and help hasten the government’s demise.
Twisting the knife following the Housing Secretary’s humiliating exit he said Labour is in “deep crisis”.
“I think there is every chance now of a general election happening in 2027 and we must be ready for that moment,” he told Reform members. Reform is looking to turn a huge opinion poll lead into a majority government at Westminster and install himself in Downing Street.
Mr Farage added: “Not only have they fallen into deep unpopularity… but it has become clear to all of us that it is a Cabinet of wholly unqualified people to run our country. They are not fit to govern.”
His speech in Birmingham was brought forward by three hours from its previously-scheduled slot after news broke of Ms Rayner’s dramatic departure from the government.
In another surprise move, Mr Farage broke off from his speech to introduce Nadine Dorries, who defected to Reform on Thursday, to make a brief speech.
The former Tory culture secretary, who like Mr Farage is a veteran of the I’m A Celebrity jungle, was greeted on stage by glitter cannons.
She told the cheering crowd: “I feel for the first time in a number of years as though I’m at a conference and amongst people who share the same principles and values as I have always held.”
The glitzy event is on a much bigger scale than previous Reform gatherings, with thousands of activists and hundreds of corporate lobbyists.
Reform are seeking to bring elements of US political rallies to their conference and when he returned to the stage Mr Farage borrowed a phrase from Donald Trump.
“Let’s make Britain great again – I’ve heard that phrase somewhere else before – but I agree with it,” he told the audience, before talking about the Cross of St George and Union flags that have “spontaneously” appeared on lamp posts across the country.
“What is going on out there is the British people are sticking two fingers up with every flag they place to an establishment that doesn’t believe in Britain,” he said.
Mr Farage said Reform are in the middle of a meltdown of Labour and the Tories that have dominated British politics for 100 years.
“In the middle of this there is a new unified party that speaks with one voice,” he added.
‘We are the party on the rise.”
He said Britain was “in a very bad place” and that a Reform government is “the last chance” to get it back on track.
“I get this in the street from people, people point at me and say, ‘You are the last chance we’ve got to get this country back on track,” he said.
“We are the last chance the country has got to get this country back on track.”
During his speech, which was light on policy, Mr Farage vowed to stop small boat crossings within two weeks if he becomes Prime Minister.
He added “We will deport foreign criminals.
“I’m off to have lunch in a few weeks with the prime minister of Albania. I might book a very big plane and take a load with me, I’m not sure yet.
“We will stop what is a threat to our national security, what is a danger to girls and women on our streets.
“We will stop the boats and we will detain and deport those who illegally break into our country, doing what nearly every normal country around the rest of the world does.
“You cannot come here illegally and stay – we will stop the boats within two weeks of winning government.”
He also said Reform would be working on plans during the coming weeks and months to slash Britain’s bloated welfare bill.
A new department to prepare for government, with former Reform chairman Zia Yusuf as head of policy, is being set up, Mr Farage said.