Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, claimed on Monday morning that Reform UK did not present a threat to the Conservatives’ chances of winning the next election, to which Mr Farage responded: “The word cretin springs to mind.
“I think you’ll find that Reform are at the highest level they’ve ever been. I’m also told, through private polling, that in the Red Wall, Reform are almost neck and neck with the Conservative Party. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Grant Shapps.”
Mr Farage, 59, described Mr Sunak’s Rwanda plan as “a total cop-out”, saying: “This man is floundering, he’s out of his depth and maybe tomorrow the back benches will send him under the water [when MPs vote on the Rwanda Bill].
“If I was a Tory backbencher and I believed in keeping the election promises made in four successive general elections, I would vote against my leader tomorrow. I very much hope his plan goes under tomorrow – it stands for nothing, it isn’t going to work.
“The real problem we’ve got – and nobody wants to face this – is that we are suffering a population crisis the likes of which our islands have never seen. You cannot allow, particularly after the Brexit vote, legal net migration now to be pushing up towards a million people every year and expect people to get GP appointments and houses, travel on the M6 or the M25.
“It’s just impossible, and what’s happening is the quality of life of everybody is being diminished by the population crisis, nobody will address it, Labour are terrified of it, the Conservatives are pretending it’s not happening.
“I think the disconnect between Westminster and the country is bigger on this than it was before the Brexit referendum. The next election will be about immigration, about numbers, and it will be for many years to come.”
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
