“THIS mob won’t last three years” chortles Nigel Farage in his first major interview since painting the map of Britain turquoise at last week’s local elections.
After cutting through Labour and Tory-held town halls across the land like butter, the Reform boss is like the cat that’s got the cream as he predicts a General Election victory in under 12 months.
Asked how he can be so sure, he warns we are on the cusp of a major economic downturn sweeping what’s left of this Labour government out of office — and some “tough love” and leadership will be needed to fix it.
He said: “I based that on what Labour would do to business confidence, to private sector investment, to employment — and I think the bond markets already are giving us a message.”
And as the Manchester mayor makes his own play for No10, Farage has a new target in his sights: “It’s amazing, isn’t it? I mean, Andy Burnham says ‘don’t worry about the bond markets. Bond markets will come to you. It will all be fine you know’.
“Well, it won’t be. So, no, I think there is a bad time coming economically for the UK, but it’s not very far away.”
But the smile soon drops when asked how he feels about the prospect of sitting in No10 this time next year as Prime Minister.
“It’s slightly daunting”, he admits, “I’d be a fool not to say that, but I still, in my own mind, see it as being some way off.”
He insists Reform is stepping up a gear to prepare for government after gaining more than 1,400 councillors last week and taking control of a dozen new councils.
But is he ready? “We’ve been a work in progress. We’ve come an astonishing way in one year and ten months. An astonishing way in that short period of time. I’d say we’re now two-thirds ready.”
Just don’t call it a one-man band any more. Farage insists that notion is “utter bilge” and the party would survive even if its superstar leader had the misfortune of falling under a bus.
“This really hacks me off. I mean, come on. This one-man band thing.
“You know, in the last four months I’ve appointed a leader in Scotland, I’ve appointed a leader in Wales.
“I’ve appointed four major shadow cabinet positions. I’ve appointed a head of policy for the party, a head of preparing for government for the party.
“I keep appointing people and they keep going on media all the time. They keep appearing in public all the time. And I’m still told it’s a one-man band.”
Despite some high-profile departures from his operation — like the ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe — Mr Farage insists he is ready to share the load in power and play well with others.
“Most people in this building we’re sitting in now, my inner team, and you know them all, have been with me for over a decade.
“There are people in this building who have been with me for over 25 years. I maintain long-term work relationships with most people that ever crossed my path.
“Even all my staff who worked for me in the ’90s, 30 years ago in the City, are all still personal friends.”
“I don’t fall out with people”, he insists, before adding with a hint of menace: “What happens in politics is you get people who think they’re much cleverer than you and that they got elected to the European Parliament because of who they were.
“And they all get a bit too big for their boots.
“They decide to take me on and then — maybe I’m not quite as friendly then.” Yet he says: “I’m perfectly relaxed about people disagreeing with me. Just don’t do it in public.
“You can come into my office, you can call me any words you like. I don’t mind one little bit.
“You can scream and shout at me, I don’t mind one little bit.”
But as he seeks to build a team to win a General Election, Mr Farage says he is in pole position, despite only a third of voters backing his party.
“I think this political movement has caught the mood,” he said. “It’s crossed the British class system in a way no party’s ever done before. It’s crossing geographies, unlike any other party at the moment.
NO TO No10 MOVE
By Harry Cole
MR Farage may not live at 10 Downing Street if he becomes PM.
Asked if he was ready to move into Britain’s most famous address, the Reform chief said he “shouldn’t think” he would bother.
PMs have traditionally lived in the flats above, but some disliked the intense atmosphere.
As for the next election, Farage said he was unlikely to face unpopular Keir Starmer.
He dismissed potential successors Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting as lightweights, but praised “real” Angela Rayner.
On going up against any of them in a TV debate, he quipped: “It’d be a lot more fun with Angie.”
“We’re winning seats in the valleys of Wales to the North East of Scotland.
“You know, we’re literally across the whole country. We’re competitive everywhere, apart from the odd inner London borough.”
But like it was for his pal, US President Donald Trump, Mr Farage fears the next 12 months will see the gloves come off as the old parties and establishment go into a tailspin to try to stop him crossing the threshold of No10.
He says he has “no choice” but to hunker down for the fight, adding: “I’ve had years of it already. They will always find something to attack me on.”
But he insists his message is the one resonating with the public, saying: “The last poll I saw said that 74 per cent of the population agree Britain is broken.
“And if you accept something’s broken, then you realise only radical change, that’s all you can do to change things.
“Kemi says Britain’s not broken. Great. Keir says Britain’s not broken. Fine. I believe Britain is broken at every level. And I know most of the electorate say that.
“So is this a country ready for some radical change and frankly for some quite tough medicine in some areas?”
