Last Thursday, Nigel Farage casually engaged in conversation with a group of three journalists, myself included, at a venue called Glaziers Hall on London Bridge, and adamantly affirmed he had no intention of participating in the forthcoming general election. Having a bronzed glow and appearing generally unperturbed, the prominent Brexit advocate and continual thorn in the side of numerous Conservative governments, maintained a campaign in any constituency wasn’t feasible due to the insufficient time at hand after the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced a surprise election set for July 4th.
Farage’s presence at Glaziers Hall was in aid of publicising a new policy against immigration under Reform UK, the right-leaning political party he shares co-founder credits with, and where he holds the role of Honorary President. Although it was Richard Tice, the party’s then-leader, who was listed as the host of the event, it was apparent that Farage, in fact, held the reigns.
However, despite his previous assurance, Farage was back at Glaziers Hall just days later, where he publicly declared his intention to compete in the general election for the Clacton seat in Essex, a location where his predecessor party, Ukip, has enjoyed success in past polls. Farage cast doubt on other politicians’ reliability, claiming they frequently fail to fulfill their promises. Paradoxically, he then ousted Tice to regain the role of party leader, a direct contrast to his earlier suggestion of retreating from the forefront.
Without wasting a moment, Farage could be seen on social media platforms, sharing professionally made campaign videos, showcasing his confident stride through throngs of fans, all set to the lyrics of Eminem’s ‘Without Me’. Lyrics that boldly proclaim: “Guess who’s back?/guess who’s back?/…. Now, this looks like a job for me/So everybody, just follow me/’Cause we need a little controversy/’Cause it feels so empty without me…”
It seems for Farage, the focus of the election is very much centred around his persona. Nonetheless, for many of the Clacton voters, there are various other concerns of greater importance. The constituency encompasses Jaywick, renowned for being the most impoverished area in England, which makes Farage’s views on tackling Jaywick’s challenges intriguing to discern.
The reemergence of Farage into the political spectrum confirms the long-standing notion that it isn’t policy that fuels the enthusiasm during electoral drives, but rather the individuals involved. The candidates for prime ministership, Rishi Sunak from the Tory party and the leading Labour candidate Keir Starmer, have been deemed rather low-profile, depriving the British press of the usual character-based narratives.
Jeremy Corbyn, former Labour party leader who was prohibited from representing the party by his successor Starmer, may be taken aback at being labeled a political character. But his campaign commencement as an independent in Islington, held just before Farage’s first appearance at Glaziers Hall, suggest this is the case.
In great contrast to the wine-centric atmosphere that Farage and his partners aimed to create was Corbyn’s launch at the Brickworks community centre. Many journalists from Westminster, particularly those from the conservative press, were not welcomed. Those who attended faced challenges entering.
The centre was packed with Corbyn’s supporters, some even donning bright red Team Corbyn uniforms. The approximately 250-strong crowd awaited his entrance patiently for an hour. The crowd was entertained and warmed-up with Bob Marley’s hit ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ replacing what could’ve surely been Farage’s favourite – Eminem. The crowd was left in silence after the audio system failed just as the political speeches were getting underway.
Following several long introductory speeches from various Islington community advocates, Corbyn delivered a powerful speech that strongly condemned child poverty, the housing crisis, and societal inequality. “The media are submissive in their acquiescence to them,” he declared amidst roaring applause.
His focus then shifted to the need to end wars, the plight of the water system, and the state of transportation and healthcare. Though he touched every sensitive issue, his speech was noticeably devoid of any solutions to remedy the issues he highlighted so emphatically.
Even though these missing policy proposals would typically be a concern, at this juncture for Team Corbyn, who were crammed together in a tiny community centre on the more unenviable side of Islington North, it didn’t seem to matter at all. Ultimately, irrespective of what Corbyn argued, they were inevitably set to concur.
The crux of their support lay in the fact that it was Corbyn uttering the words. A keen observer, who was not directly involved, might notice a notable resemblance with Farage. Supporters of the latter hold him in high regard simply for his persona.
Both political figures stand a fair shot of disrupting the established two-party system and gaining seats as outsiders. Should they manage to do so, it will be largely due to their personal appeal.