Plans for Nigel

 As expected, Reform UK has set out to exploit the Immigration issue. I thought that Reform would use this issue as a stick to beat the Tory government, and that has happened. Our old friend, Nigel Farage (NF), seen above in full rhetorical flight, has set out to put Rishi Sunak on the spot regarding this issue. The Express, which seems to have become a Reform UK propaganda sheet,  trumpeted the news on Tuesday: 

"Nigel Farage has challenged Rishi Sunak to a live TV debate on immigration. The Reform UK honorary president accused the Prime Minister of calling the surprise general election because he knows his Rwanda plan "simply would not work”. The former UKIP leader insisted that if Mr Sunak refuses to debate him it will "confirm the fact that Sunak can’t stop the boats"."

Well, there's nothing like having big ideas about yourself, is there? Remember that NF has never won an election to become an MP. We can only wonder at NF's effrontery in demanding a debate with our most senior politician. The other right-wing rag, The Sun, reported that Sunak's spokespeople said, in response to the "invitation":

" They told The Sun: "We respect Nigel but there’s only two people who can be Prime Minister at the end of this campaign, Rishi or Starmer, and that's who should be up on stage debating each other".

I would find it next to impossible to respect NF, but approve Sunak's refusal to debate with him. I was pleased to see that Keir Starmer has turned down the idea of a debate with NF as well. Holding such debates would only lend legitimacy to an unelected provocateur who has tried and failed seven times to be elected to parliament. He is not standing for Reform UK in the present election. In fact, he has previously said that he was tired of having doors slammed in his face when out canvassing. He is also on record as saying that he will never travel on public transport again, as he faces widespread hatred. As his campaigns for Brexit and against asylum seekers have led to hostility against EU migrants and refugees, he does not seem to appreciate the irony.

But I digress. Despite his impolite request for a debate with Sunak, and out of the goodness of his heart, he has hinted that he would, given certain provisos, be willing to work with the Conservatives. The Telegraph reports: 

"The honorary Reform UK president said he would be open to “a conversation” if the Conservatives gave him “something back” for the “huge favours” he had done over the years. There have been suggestions that Rishi Sunak should bring Mr Farage into the fold to prevent the Tories from haemorrhaging votes to Reform at the election".

Well, isn't that nice? NF was supposed to have been talking of going over to the USA to work for Donald Trump's campaign. Now, that would have been fun to watch.

 Instead, NF has made a conditional offer to the Conservatives. He believes that the Tories owe him a favour. Again: 

" He claimed to have helped the Conservatives on several occasions, having “got rid of” Theresa May with the launch of the Brexit Party and stood aside in hundreds of seats to pave the way for a Boris Johnson victory in 2019, adding: “What are they going to do back for me?”

It remains to be seen whether the Conservatives will accept NF's gracious offer of a "conversation". After all, as has been noted, the Tory Party has become more like UKIP over time and there are many in the Tory Party who admire Farage, as was seen at last year's Conservative party conference. 

Personally. I don't take these "initiatives" too seriously. Not only this, but I don't believe that Farage takes them too seriously, either. I believe that Farage was doing what he does best: promoting himself. He must know that the Conservatives are well aware that giving him status and credibility by debating with him would rebound on them. Instead, he will use the Tory/Starmer refusals as "evidence" that the  two main parties lack the will to stop unwanted immigration. Expect more on this theme from him and Reform UK - who have been surprisingly quiet about NF's approaches to the Conservative government. 

Hope not Hate, who have tangled in the courts with Farage, have produced a chapter on their website that asks the question "Who is Nigel Farage?". I recommend this as a resource for all of us who oppose, and seek to understand, the phenomenon that NF is. As Hope not Hate states:

"Farage has used racism, xenophobia, sexism and Islamophobia to stir up division, has toxic connections to extreme and far-right figures across the world, and Thatcherite beliefs that he has tried to hide from communities in former industrial towns".

 XTC were wrong - Nigel has plans of his own.