Nigel Farage will not “reveal any election role” with Reform UK until two months before polling day, according to GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the Westminster guru and GB News colleague of Mr Farage wrote: “Nigel Farage is unlikely to reveal any election role with Reform UK until as little as two months before polling day, insiders tell me.”
Addressing the central question of whether or not the former UKIP leader will stand as a candidate, Mr Hope said: “Farage is presently NOT expected to stand as a candidate and is more likely to oversee the party’s campaign. This could change, though.”
Although he is currently keeping his secret plans somewhat under wraps, Brexiteers won’t be happy if Farage rules out running as a candidate, as the 59-year-old previously won huge electoral success as leader of the Brexit Party, and was elected five times to serve as a Member of the European Parliament, prior to Britain’s exit from the European Union – proving that he knows how to win elections.
As the grandfather of Brexit and off the back of a successful stint in the I’m A Celebrity jungle on ITV, Mr Farage could play a massive role in the outcome of the general election this year.
Last year, Reform UK leader Richard Tice told Express.co.uk that he was certain Mr Farage would return to politics in time for the national vote. At present, the ex-MEP is president of the party.
He said: “Nigel coming back will be worth about four points in the polls for Reform UK and some of them already have us on 10 and 11 percent. That means we will be in the mid-teens and the Tories will be down to the late teens, we will only just be behind.”
Reform grandees will be hopeful of emulating the electoral success enjoyed by insurgent right-wing parties in Europe and beyond. Asked last month whether or not Mr Tice anticipated seeing the sort of late “surge” in support that saw Geert Wilders storm to victory in the Netherlands, the former business tycoon was bullish.
Rising high in the polls, at around 10 per cent, he said that Reform had “already seen a surge and hopefully that will continue”.
He went on: “I can reasonably see how we could be polling in the mid-teens within a few months… and that the Tories will dip below 20 percent and that’s going to make a fascinating general election.”
Asked whether Reform could actually usurp the Conservatives and become the second largest party, Mr Tice said: “Oh I think that’s absolutely possible given the chaos that we’re seeing at the moment, and that’s the opportunity. If Nigel [Farage] wants to put his shoulder behind the wheel then who knows, the world’s our oyster so let’s wait and see.”
