Nigel Farage rebrands Brexit Party into Reform UK! (4k)

Nigel Farage has applied to the Electoral Commission to change the name of the Brexit Party to Reform UK. All part of his promised plan to change UK politics for good.

Nigel Farage rebrands Brexit Party into Reform UK

Although seen primarily as a single issue 'get the UK out of the EU party, after the EU MEP elections', The Brexit Party did stand on a broader platform in the general election of reforming UK politics in such areas as the House of Lords.

Although I don't remember any detailed manifesto being produced.

And on the party's website it does say:

"We stand for a clean-break Brexit that will enable us to take control of our laws, borders and money.

"This is not only about the EU. It is about what sort of democratic country we live in.

"We're out to challenge the self-serving two-party system, make the people sovereign, and restore trust in our democracy."

With Nigel Farage saying yesterday that:

"As promised, we continue to keep a very close eye on the Government’s trade negotiations with the EU, to ensure a proper Brexit. Further reform in many other areas is also vital for our nation’s future."

Now, as I understand it, Reform UK will be standing candidates in the local elections in May 2021.

And this will cover mayoral, devolved assembly, Police and Crime Commissioner and council elections including those carried over from those elections postponed earlier this year due to the pandemic.

This is, of course, assumes that there will be local elections next year.

Given how this government is performing at present the last thing they might want is a test at the ballot box.

And with an imminent lockdown that was initially due to last until December the 2nd, now being touted as possibly months-long, who knows if it will be used as an excuse to delay once more.

Now, I'm no fan of postal voting, but this may be the time for people to start thinking about applying - the more postal voters there are, the greater the argument to hold the elections.

Now there are a couple of other interesting angles to this move by Farage.

With the central point being that the main driver for going for it now appears to be his deep criticism of the way the UK government has handled the pandemic.

Having watched one of Farage's videos, I do get the impression that he has a relatively low opinion of the Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Now with the government looking to have successfully bounced itself into a lockdown starting on Thursday, many Tory MPs are getting a bit twitched.

Many aspects of a new lockdown are playing on their minds, not least the state of the UK economy.

There are therefore declarations by some Tories that they will be voting against heir own government and signs that others might follow suit.

And even at this late stage, if Farage can be seen to start applying pressure, then maybe others might follow suit.

But, and here's the big but that leads me into the second angle on this.

Both the mainstream press and the social media bosses seem to be firmly wedded to the government's approach.

To the effect that most TV, radio and print commentators and journalists talk rather warmly of locking down to save the NHS. Remember that the press generally thrives on death, destruction and destitution.

And to say that social media seems umm 'configured' to support the current official pandemic position could be seen by many as an understatement.

That puts Farage firmly on the publicity back foot.

Now, in the past Farage has been able to get in front of the press and successfully make his case. Despite many of the outlets disliking his politics.

But social media had seemed much more equitable, and he and his supporters were able to use it to great effect to both garner support and to direct its efforts.

But with the way that social media appears to be blocking anything other than the single lockdown approach, you have to wonder how much leeway he would get.

Also, Nigel Farage is currently denied his favourite political medium of mass gatherings. That is where he shines, performing to a crowd.

Mobilising door to door canvassing or leafletting will also prove problematic over the next few months.

All this favours those already entrenched in their political seats.

But timing here is critical.

Because should the US elections result in a status quo result, or even a more than status quo result from what I'm picking up, then the social media issue could be turned on its head.

Видео Nigel Farage rebrands Brexit Party into Reform UK! (4k) канала Jeff Taylor