The growing prominence of Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has emerged as one of the most significant and unsettling developments in British politics since Brexit. Once dismissed as a fringe movement without real prospects for parliamentary power, Reform has evolved into a political force that cannot be ignored. The party’s recent conference in Birmingham, which attracted over 10,000 attendees, served as a vivid reminder that what was once considered a protest vote has now crystallized into a potential governing movement.

This shift raises critical questions about Britain’s political trajectory, the stability of its institutions, and the capacity of its current leadership under Prime Minister Keir Starmer to hold back the tide of populism that has already swept across large parts of Europe and the United States.

At the center of Reform UK’s rise is Nigel Farage, a figure whose political career has been defined by his ability to tap into resentment, frustration, and nationalist sentiment. Farage’s style is performative, rooted in his skill as a broadcaster and populist communicator. Unlike Starmer’s measured and technocratic approach, Farage thrives on showmanship. He uses simple narratives, often centered around immigration, cultural grievances, and attacks on the political establishment, to galvanize large crowds.

Farage’s relationship with Donald Trump underscores the ideological and stylistic parallels between Reform UK and the Trumpist right in America. Both draw heavily on the rhetoric of “taking back control,” a slogan that powered Brexit and preceded Trump’s “Make America Great Again.” Farage has successfully localized these narratives for Britain: immigration framed as an “invasion,” patriotism repurposed as a license for xenophobia, and distrust in established parties weaponized to present Reform as the only authentic alternative.

For decades, Britain’s political system seemed resistant to the kind of populist earthquakes seen elsewhere. The first-past-the-post electoral system........

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