It turns out politics is quite hard when you want people to take you seriously.

Nigel Farage is a veteran politician but not in the usual sense. His various vehicles – Ukip, the Brexit Party and now Reform UK – only had a few MEPs and councillors until last July when Reform acquired five MPs.

Farage “parties” have never run anything. They are more like single issue pressure groups, lacking a comprehensive policy platform or a discernible philosophy beyond brash nationalism and opposition to immigration.

They are also personality cults. The only time we hear of party figures other than Farage is when the former City trader takes one of his holidays from leadership – or when, like this week, there’s an internal row.

Reform is in a weaker position position than it may seem. Though Farage says it can win the next election, has succeeded in diversifying his support base a bit and is neck-and-neck with Labour in the polls, it is struggling to gain the lead.

Once again, as with Reform’s predecessor parties, the limits of its credibility and political reach are on show.

Getting into government is a marathon, not a sprint. Farage has been an unlikely sprinter, surging to extraordinary prominence from relative obscurity in the 2014 European elections and also the 2015 general election. He pulled off a similar trick last year.

But after achieving gains he’s been prone to collapse wheezing on the tarmac rather than keep going. The last six miles of a marathon are always the toughest.........

© Herald Scotland