Nigel Farage, who has jetted off to the US to party with Donald Trump and Elon Musk, has claimed it is ‘possible’ he becomes PM while Trump is President, and appeared to pin hopes on an economic meltdown
Nigel Farage has claimed there’s a one-in-four chance he becomes Prime Minister while Donald Trump is President.
The Reform UK leader, who is in the US for the divisive Republican’s inauguration, said he genuinely believes he can get into No10. It comes as floundering Tory leader Kemi Badnoch tries to stamp her authority on her badly-beaten party, with Reform edging ahead in the polls.
On Friday Mr Farage hosted a party attended by Trump and billionaire agitator Elon Musk, where he was introducted as the UK’s next Prime Minister. Speaking to Channel 5 News, Clacton MP Mr Farage said it’s “possible” that he and Trump are in charge at the same time, as he appeared to pin his hopes on an economic meltdown.
He said: “I tell you what, once every 50 to 100 years we get something remarkable happens in British politics. And I think we are potentially at one of those moments.
“You know, the Liberal Party disappeared after the First World War and were replaced by the Labour Party. Are we at one of those moments? It feels to me like we are, yes. I think there is such a level.”
Quizzed on whether he could become PM while Trump is in the White House, he said: “Well, that would be great, but that would. I mean, look, Labour have got a whopping great big majority, okay? The only thing that really brings an early election is if we get an economic meltdown.”
He went on to say that is “not impossible”, accusing Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves of killing “any economic optimism”. Referring to the Suez Crisis of 1956 – which saw Britain invade Egypt alongside France and Israel in a failed attempt to regain control of the Suez Canal, Mr Farage said there is a chance he and Trump could overlap.
He said: “We saw what a run on the markets can do to governments. We saw it back at Suez. Actually, in the end, it was the markets that really brought Eden down more than anything else.
So, yeah, it’s possible. I wouldn’t put it at more than 20%, 25%, but it’s possible.”
It comes amid speculation that the Tories and Reform UK might seek a “grubby deal” to oust Labour. Ms Badenoch ruled this out last week and Mr Farage has distanced himself from the idea.
Labour Together’s Jonathan Ashworth, writing for the Mirror, warned the price of such a “grubby deal” would be charges for NHS treatment. Over Christmas Mr Farage floated the idea of charging for treatment on the NHS – which could mean more than £3,000 for cataract treatments or £12,500 for a hip replacement.
Mr Ashworth wrote: “The Tories are putting up a no-hoper as their leader in Kemi Badenoch – but a chaotic coalition of her with Farage calling the shots will be one that checks your purse before your pulse.”
