Nigel Farage is on course to become Britain's next prime minister, according to a self-proclaimed liberal Remainer whose new book details the rise of Reform UK. Nick Tyrone describes himself as a "centrist dad" who would like to see the UK rejoin the European Union, but after spending time with Reform activists across the nation, he admits he may vote for the party at the next election.
Reform not 'party of nasty politics'
Mr Tyrone, who says he has voted Liberal Democrat in most general elections, argues it is "completely wrongheaded" to see Reform as the "party of nasty politics". He rejects claims by liberal friends that Reform are the "bad guys" and argues most activists are "normal people who don't like the way the country has been run".
The Rise of Reform has won praise ahead of its publication later this month from prime ministerial biographer Anthony Seldon and The Rest is History podcast's Tom Holland. It comes as high-profile Reform figures face investigations over donations, and as Andy Burnham seeks to win back the North to Labour.
Hostility to Tories in Reform ranks
Mr Tyrone argues that the idea that the Conservatives and Reform should come together and "unite the Right" ahead of the next election to stop Labour holding onto power is "complete and utter rubbish". He claims there is strong hostility to the Tories in Reform ranks, with former Conservative voters "not in a mood to forgive and forget anytime". One local organiser told him that "annihilating" the Conservatives is seen by many as the "most important part of the mission".
Describing what he thinks is the biggest misconception about Mr Farage, he said it is that he is "motivated by bad ideology". He told the Sunday Express: "[What] I see is someone who deeply cares about Britain and sees himself as someone who can change it."
Immigration and the next election
Looking ahead to the next election, which must come no later than August 2029, he expects immigration will continue to be a "big issue" and that if the country runs into financial trouble the argument that Britain needs a "fresh start" will be even stronger. While he says it is "not totally impossible" that the Tories may pull ahead of Reform in the polls before the election, he "would bet against it".
He said: "I just feel like the Tories are so complacent… They do not understand how difficult it is going to be to get their former voters back. It's going to be really, really, really hard, and I think they think it will be relatively straightforward."
Describing the Reform supporters he met in England, Scotland and Wales, he said: "They're very, very civically minded in a way that Labour people would have been 40 years ago, if that makes sense… They care about their local community." And Reform, he added, are "the only ones speaking these people's language". The Rise of Reform is published on September 24.
