Farage determined to jolt Britain back to greatness

OPINION:

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In recent years, the United Kingdom has been mired in political turmoil and economic adversity, exacerbated by a sense of being let down by successive Conservative governments. Amid this climate, lightning rod Nigel Farage, a Trump ally, has seized the moment, emerging with his Reform U.K. party — a force potentially capable, in Trumpian style, of resetting British politics and reestablishing national exceptionalism. 

I was fortunate to meet the exhilarating Mr. Farage twice in the past year. These experiences left me with the notion that I had an encounter with destiny. Indeed, as the cataclysmic political events of recent days are playing out before our eyes across the pond, how right I was.

Mr. Farage’s rise is fundamentally rooted in his ability to expose and challenge the failures of establishment Conservatives to deliver outcomes consistent with the will of their constituents. (Sound familiar?) Much like Donald Trump, Mr. Farage has demonstrated an acute understanding of the frustrations of ordinary citizens disgusted with the dictates of metropolitan elites, channeling these sentiments into a potent political movement. 

Successive U.K. Conservative governments have proved unfit to deliver on key promises, from lifting Britain out of its cost-of-living crisis to addressing record net migration. So, too, they squandered commanding parliamentary majorities and, in the eyes of many, the opportunity to make Brexit a success. 

This disappointing situation has enabled Mr. Farage’s ascendancy and recent assumption of the reins of the emergent Reform Party. While unable to win enough seats to claim government leadership on Election Day, Reform nevertheless poses a menacing and real threat to the incumbent Conservative Party by potentially splitting the right-wing vote and costing the Tories crucial seats in marginal constituencies.

A new poll predicts that Reform U.K. will win 18 seats in the upcoming election. This is a laudable achievement for a relatively new party. The same poll suggests that Reform U.K. will secure a higher vote share than the Conservative Party. This indicates a significant shift in voter preferences, particularly among traditional Conservative supporters.

The Tories have agonizingly choreographed their own downfall. Mr. Farage has seized the moment, presenting Reform U.K. as a genuine alternative that prioritizes the interests of the British people over political expediency. With showman style worthy of none other than Mr. Trump, he offers a dynamism that appeals to many disillusioned British voters.

Although it appears almost certain that Keir Starmer’s left-wing Labour Party will oust the Conservatives from power, Mr. Farage is determined to make Mr. Starmer a one-term prime minister. Mr. Farage’s Reform is ready to seize the right flank of British politics and lead the opposition against Mr. Starmer’s already unpopular left-wing policies. This strategic positioning aims to galvanize a political realignment that could redefine the future landscape of U.K. politics and resurrect the “Special Relationship” with the United States. 

Mr. Farage’s vision for a “Great” Britain is one of British exceptionalism, self-reliance and national pride. He advocates stringent immigration controls as a way to protect national values and identity, a stance that mirrors Mr. Trump’s position on open borders. These policies resonate with a significant portion of the electorate, left behind by globalization and disenchanted with the current political elite.

Mr. Farage’s close relationship and ideological symmetry with Mr. Trump could reignite the flagging U.S.-U.K. relationship and bolster Western hegemony. President Biden, with his trashing of Brexit, disrespect of Britain during his deadly and chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal and Irish-first identity, has been the most anti-British president in recent memory. He has strained the Special Relationship in unprecedented ways. Mr. Farage’s rapport with a potentially reelected Mr. Trump could serve as a bridge to reinvigorate this crucial alliance, which is critical to global stability.

Improved bilateral relations are vital for both nations, particularly in terms of trade, security and international diplomacy. Mr. Farage’s influence could help foster a renewed partnership, aligning the U.K. with a more favorable U.S. administration if Mr. Trump returns to power. This alignment could lead to enhanced economic opportunities, stronger security cooperation, and a reinvigorated sense of Western solidarity.

While Mr. Farage’s interventions cannot catapult his party to governing power in the next election, it will undeniably shake the Conservative Party to its core, forcing an essential reevaluation of its principles and policies. This shake-up could ultimately pave the way for a more robust and responsive right-wing alternative — or better yet, a vastly improved U.K. Tory party that can better serve the needs and aspirations of the British people.

• Lee Cohen, a senior fellow of the Bow Group and the Bruges Group, was an adviser on Britain to the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee and founded the Congressional United Kingdom Caucus.