Nigel Farage, the broadcaster and populist politician who championed Brexit, announced on Thursday that he would not be running for a seat in the British Parliament in the upcoming general election on July 4. Instead, he will focus on assisting former President Donald J. Trump in his bid to reclaim the White House in November.
This decision by Mr. Farage is expected to provide some relief to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party, as Mr. Farage’s party, Reform UK, poses a significant threat to the Conservatives from the right. However, Mr. Farage pledged to support Reform UK and their anti-immigration platform by helping them field candidates in the election.
“While the general election is important,” Mr. Farage stated on social media, “the upcoming contest in the United States on Nov. 5 holds immense global significance. A strong America as a close ally is crucial for our peace and security. I intend to contribute to the grassroots campaign in the USA in any way possible.”
Mr. Farage, 60, who hosts a show on GB News, a right-wing British TV channel, actively supported Mr. Trump in 2020 and recently interviewed him at his residence in Mar-a-Lago. At one point, Mr. Trump even suggested that Mr. Farage be appointed as the British ambassador to Washington.
Despite his unsuccessful electoral history, with seven failed attempts to secure a seat in Parliament, Mr. Farage did serve as a Member of the European Parliament. He has remained a prominent figure, with incidents like his claim that his private bank, Coutts, terminated his account due to his controversial political views.
Mr. Farage’s decision not to run for Parliament came as no surprise, given his successful career in broadcasting. Richard Tice, the leader of Reform UK, expressed optimism about the situation, affirming that Mr. Farage would still be actively involved in the campaign efforts. The party intends to field candidates in 630 constituencies across England and Scotland.
Mr. Tice announced his candidacy for a seat in Boston and Skegness, a district just over 100 miles north of London that strongly supported Brexit in 2016.
The snap election called by Mr. Sunak, earlier than expected, aims to capitalize on some positive economic indicators for Britain. However, Reform UK’s focus on immigration could expose vulnerabilities for the Conservative government, which has struggled to fulfill Mr. Sunak’s pledge to curb the influx of asylum seekers crossing the English Channel in small boats.
