Le Pen’s success this year is a warning to the Tories

Nigel Farage was in fine fettle when he appeared on GB News on Tuesday evening. He boasted of his weekend in Florida, chewing the fat with Elon Musk, and made some characteristically bullish predictions for the future. A poll this month found that Reform has overtaken Labour for the first time and is now two points behind the Conservative party. ‘Reform has all the momentum in British politics,’ said Zia Yusuf, the Reform chairman, in response to the poll. ‘The British people want real change after years of failure and deception.’

Farage believes Reform’s momentum will reduce the Tories to also-rans come the next general election. Mocking the Conservatives’ belief that ‘they have a divine right to exist’, Farage told GB News: ‘Just because they have been here since 1834 doesn’t mean they are going to be here in five years’ time’.

This year has certainly been a bumper year for political leaders who consider themselves to be outside the system.