Nigel Farage believes Angela Rayner would be his toughest political rival if she survives a sleaze probe over her tax affairs. The Reform UK leader thinks she appeals to voters on the Left – much in the same way as he does on the Right.
Mr Farage is understood to regard her as “real, down to earth and fun – someone who connects”. If she ever becomes Labour leader, she would become his “toughest” opponent.
Ms Rayner is facing the sack after admitting to not paying up to £40,000 in stamp duty.
She could find out her fate later today when an inquiry into her tax affairs reports back to Sir Keir Starmer.
Mr Farage is expected to tell his party today to prepare for power as soon as 2027 – as he warns the financial markets could foreclose on Labour’s and force an early election.
Mr Farage, whose Reform UK has topped the polls for months, will issue the alert in a speech to his annual conference in Birmingham.
The former City trader has warned the rising borrowing costs being forced on Labour by financial markets.
He also predicted that a new party formed by Jeremy Corbyn could splinter Labour and help hasten the Government’s demise.
“I think they may struggle to last the course,” he said in an interview with the Daily Mail.
“The financial situation is very, very grim.
“The bond markets, just every single day there is a loss of confidence. I was with a couple of big Wall Street guys last night and confidence in the UK is ebbing.
“If I’m right about the temptation of the Left for many Labour MPs, they may well struggle to get through another couple of years.
“I shall tell the conference: be ready for an election in 2027.”
Mr Farage said he is setting up a new “department of preparing for government” by Christmas.
He is also launching a search for 5,000 candidates to fight next May’s elections in English councils and the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.
These, he predicted, will see the Conservatives ‘cease to be a national party’ as Reform seeks to make big inroads in Scotland, Wales and London.
The Conservative Party, he said, is “disintegrating before our eyes” with a steady stream of defections threatening to turn into a flood after Friday’s endorsement by former Tory Cabinet Minister Nadine Dorries, who he described as a ”’big hire for us”.