Nigel Farage, the pro-Brexit campaigner and serial disrupter of British politics, on Monday introduced plans to run as a candidate in Britain’s normal election subsequent month, dealing a brand new setback to the prospects of the nation’s embattled prime minister, Rishi Sunak.
The shock announcement from Mr. Farage, who represents an rebel far proper motion, threatens to upend an election marketing campaign by taking votes from Britain’s governing Conservative Social gathering. In doing so, it might make it even tougher for Mr. Sunak and his social gathering to slim a double-digit hole within the polls with the opposition Labour Social gathering.
Divisive, charismatic and famed for his communication abilities, Mr. Farage was one of many architects of Brexit, which a slim majority of Britons supported in a 2016 referendum. His earlier resolution to not run within the election was thought by some analysts to have sapped momentum from Reform U.Ok., the successor to the Brexit Social gathering he as soon as led.
Mr. Farage final month stated that he wouldn’t search a parliamentary seat as a result of he needed to prioritize supporting Donald J. Trump’s electoral marketing campaign within the U.S. Mr. Farage is a longtime ally of the previous president and campaigned for him in 2020.
However on Monday Mr. Farage reversed his earlier resolution and stated he would take over as chief of Reform U.Ok., and run for a seat in Parliament.
“I’ve modified my thoughts — it’s allowed ,” he stated. “I’m going to face on this election,” including that he would run in Clacton-on-Sea, a seaside space the place assist for Brexit has been sturdy.
The announcement comes on the eve of one of many greatest occasions of Britain’s normal election marketing campaign to this point: a televised debate between Mr. Sunak and Keir Starmer, the chief of the opposition Labour Social gathering.
Together with his Conservative Social gathering trailing badly in opinion polls, and after an accident-prone begin to the final election marketing campaign, Mr. Sunak is already underneath important strain.
The change of coronary heart by Mr. Farage might worsen prospects for the prime minister as a result of, based on analysts, Reform U.Ok. threatens to take a big variety of votes from the Conservatives.
