On paper, it looks like a wise choice. Reform UK is currently six points down in the polls compared to this time last year, and spent the summer dealing with all manner of scandals, the latest breaking last night that Nigel Farage’s party have been accused of allegedly welcoming secret foreign donations which may have breached electoral law.Their annual conference in Birmingham, taking place this week, is their biggest yet, and ought to be treated as a bright, fresh start. What better way to do this than to host a glitzy, international political figure as their guest of honour?
On Friday, Rassemblement National president Jordan Bardella will be addressing Reform’s gathering. The 30-year-old’s rise through his party’s ranks was vertiginous and, though he now acts as Marine Le Pen’s right-hand man, he recently stood ready to represent the far right next April, during France’s next presidential election. If the future of the European populist right has a face, it’s his, and clearly Reform is hoping to strengthen the party’s links with its friends from across the Channel.
The only question, really, is whether Nigel Farage and his associates really made the right call, and may not find themselves soon regretting their decision. Back in the days of Ukip and the Brexit Party, Farage always managed to wink and flirt with the far right while never committing to join them. While the occasional dog whistle was to be expected, he managed to walk the fine line between the mainstream and the fringes without faltering.
