Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was jokingly dubbed the “Prime Minister” by BBC Radio 4 host Nick Robinson following a surge in polling for the political party.
In a new survey by Find Out Now, Reform came out on top at 26 per cent, down one point from the week before.
Labour came in close second with 23 per cent, while the Conservatives took third place with 22 per cent in the poll of 2,745 people.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Farage scoffed as Robinson greeted him as “Prime Minister”.
The Reform UK leader was introduced as ‘Prime Minister’ during an interview with BBC Radio 4
PA
Robinson said: “The leader of Reform UK joins us on the line. Good morning, Prime Minister – is that what you expect me to be saying in a few years time?”
Farage responded: “Well I tell you what, we have made the most amazing progress since the last general election in terms of our growth, our structure, and our quality of people.
“We’re going into these May 1 elections and don’t forget, there are six mayoral contests too. We’ve got a big event in Birmingham today with 10,000 tickets sold.”
Noting his press gallery lunch on Thursday, Farage revealed “no one was laughing” at the prospect of Reform UK leading the next British Government.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Nigel Farage has lead a new poll following the party’s row with ex-MP Rupert Lowe
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Farage said: “Nobody laughed at the press gallery lunch yesterday, because they can see that we’ve got real momentum behind us.”
Pressing Farage on international issues affecting Britain, Robinson grilled the Reform leader on how he would handle Donald Trump’s tariff war on the UK.
Farage told BBC Radio 4: “I’d have done a free trade deal with him in 2017, and it’s worth reminding ourselves why we’re in this mess.
“We had a period of time when the American administration wanted to do a trade deal with us, and we didn’t do it because the Conservative Party didn’t deliver Brexit.”
Nigel Farage told BBC Radio 4 that Labour should aim for a ‘broader deal’ with Trump rather than ‘avoiding tariffs’
NIGEL FARAGE
Advising the Labour Government on how they should go forward with Donald Trump, Farage made clear that the issue is “bigger than avoiding tariffs”.
He concluded: “I think there’s a lot we can do with America – we have to talk much more broadly than the avoidance of tariffs. We have to start talking about financial services, where both sides of the pond do want to see rule simplification.
“We also have to talk about agriculture, he would want US agricultural products to be sold in Britain. Now there’s been some concern about chlorine treated chicken, but there is an answer to that which is label things, let consumers decide.
“So I think this shouldn’t be just about avoiding tariffs, it should be a broader deal.”
