UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Michael Gove doubts Nigel Farage is ready to be PM and questions Reform UK’s election chances, while praising Farage’s communication skills and impact.
As reported by The Independent, ex-Tory cabinet minister Michael Gove says Nigel Farage is unprepared to be PM now or even in four years.
Michael Gove’s views on Nigel Farage’s chances as PM
The veteran Conservative, a former UK cabinet minister, praised Nigel Farage as a skilled and experienced speaker.
He stated,
“I don’t believe that he is a plausible prime minister. Because if at this stage you’re saying that Reform should be the government – I know we’re four years away – he doesn’t have the team, or the policies or programme that would make me believe that he would govern effectively.”
During a podcast interview, Mr Gove said Reform’s win,
“not because they’ve developed a compelling story about how the country can be different.”
It was because
“they’re the repository of anger at the failure of the political classes to do what they said they would do.”
He revealed that Mr Farage was “personally grateful” when he helped settle a clash between the then-Ukip leader and The Times newspaper during Gove’s tenure.
Mr Gove described his feelings toward the Reform leader as “deeply ambivalent” but praised his strong communication skills.
He added,
“I think that he does have, which Boris [Johnson] had differently, an intuitive feel for how parts of the country think at any given time, and he is not burdened or constrained in the way that some of the rest of us are by thinking that’s unrespectable, or that’s outside the Overton window, or that would never work in government.”
Mr Gove suggested that a frequently overlooked aspect of the Reform leader is that he functions, in practice, as a barrier to the rise of more extreme political movements.
Nigel Farage’s stance on Tommy Robinson amid the Elon Musk row
During a high-profile clash with tech billionaire Elon Musk, who briefly held a unique role in Donald Trump’s White House, Nigel Farage declined to endorse far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
He added,
“My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles.”
What did Nigel Farage say about Britain being “lawless”?
Nigel Farage denied claims that his warning about “Britain being lawless” was just “Project Fear” to boost support for Reform.
He said,
“No, they are afraid. They are afraid. I dare you to walk through the West End of London after 9 o’clock in the evening wearing jewellery.”
Mr Farage added,
“You wouldn’t do it. You know that I am right. You wouldn’t do it. And that is just in London.”
What did Nigel Farage say about naming suspects after charges?
Nigel Farage insisted that police should disclose suspects’ identities, addresses, and immigration status after they are charged with a crime.
He added,
“I absolutely think that they should, and I think particularly given there is a pretty febrile atmosphere around these areas, particularly sexual assaults and rapes where the temperature of this debate has risen significantly, yes I do believe they should.”
How are recent election results affecting Reform’s chances?
A leading pollster indicated that Reform’s momentum has stalled after reaching its peak. Tory peer Robert Hayward said recent council by-elections are a worrying sign for Reform.
The party lost the seats it was defending, signalling potential internal weakness. Combined with national polling data, this suggests Nigel Farage’s bid for Downing Street could face a serious setback.
What did Luke Tryl say about Farage’s chances of becoming PM?
Luke Tryl, the executive director of More in Common UK, stated,
“Only 13 per cent of Britons are confident Keir Starmer will remain in post after the next election, while a striking 41 per cent say they simply don’t know what the next elected government will look like.”
He added,
“In fact, the public rate Nigel Farage’s chances of becoming prime minister as highly as those of the current PM, with Reform voters particularly convinced their man will be walking into Downing Street.”