Reform’s election launch overshadowed by Farage

It’s been a big morning on the right of British politics. First, net migration figures were published showing 685,000 people arrived in the 12 months between 2022 and 2023. Rishi Sunak then admitted that no flights to Rwanda will take off before polling day on 4 July. This was followed shortly after by Nigel Farage ruling himself out as a candidate in the snap election. Reform UK leader Richard Tice then took to his feet to launch his party’s election campaign.

There was little that was new on policy or messaging as Tice, Reform deputy leader Ben Habib and ex-Tory cabinet minister Ann Widdecombe all attacked the Conservatives on migration. Widdecombe, a former Home Office minister, cited figures which showed that a new house needs to be built every two minutes to keep up with demand. She warned that the number of people coming to the country will have a ‘huge impact on housing’ and a ‘huge impact on health services both local and regional’.