Farage Eyes Prime Minister Role and Plans Democratic Overhaul for Reform UK

Farage: I Might End Up as Prime Minister

Mr. Farage denies that he solely defines the party, as he presents strategies to increase democratic processes within Reform UK.

Friday, September 20, 2024, 9:

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Nigel Farage has discussed his ambitions as the leader of the Reform UK party, asserting his potential to ascend to the role of prime minister.

He conveyed to Sky's political correspondent Darren McCaffrey that while assuming leadership at Number 10 might not be likely, it remains within the realm of possibility.

Speaking at the Reform UK annual conference in Birmingham, he expressed his plans to transform the party and enhance its democratic nature.

"He emphasized the importance of inclusivity, pointing out, 'This isn't a one-man show. We're not dealing with a presidential system here. If that were the case, my perspective might be different. But as it stands, we need a wider base of involvement.'"

He acknowledged that there were perceptions of the party during the general election that posed problems for some people.

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"He acknowledged the issue," he said. "There were people targeting us with racial slurs. Additionally, some of our candidates were indeed racists."

Previously, the leader of the party and MP for Clacton delivered the main address at the conference, detailing their strategy to secure additional seats in the upcoming general election.

He additionally criticized the prime minister for accepting complimentary presents and ridiculed the contenders in the Conservative leadership contest.

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He also addressed more significant matters, assuring that Reform UK will "thoroughly screen all candidates at every level" moving forward.

Speaking to an audience in Birmingham, Mr Farage emphasized that the party, which now boasts 80,000 members, cannot afford to let "a few extremists" undermine its efforts due to a lack of "time" or "space."

Farage States Reform UK Must Mature

By Darren McCaffrey, political correspondent in Birmingham

Reform and Nigel Farage are astounded by their own achievements.

It's hardly shocking to note that they garnered more than four million votes and currently have five members in parliament.

Today, however, the party asserts that it has grander aspirations – it's striving for authority.

After securing millions of votes that traditionally went to the Conservatives, the party is now confident it can attract support from Labour voters as well.

Reform came in second in 98 districts, with 89 of those being held by Labour.

However, it presents a significant challenge, especially since the party remains under the strong influence of its divisive leader and is largely focused on a single predominant issue – immigration.

Nigel Farage believes that for the party to achieve additional success, it must mature and adopt a more professional approach.

It is certainly the case that if Reform wants to continue its celebrations, it must also expand its policy focus beyond the primary concerns of its members.

Discover additional insights at Sky News: Widdecombe commits to immigration policy changes; Prime Minister to stop receiving clothing donations.

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"In his speech, he highlighted the maturation of Reform UK, noting its development from its early stages, similar to an infant, and he drew attention to the accomplishments of the Liberal Democrats in the recent general election."

He informed the attendees that his party should emulate the Liberal Democrats, who managed to win 72 seats despite having a smaller percentage of the popular vote compared to Reform UK.

He remarked, "The Liberal Democrats consistently distribute pamphlets and flyers in their key regions, even though they lack any actual policies. It's quite empty, wouldn't you say? Yet, they still secure 72 parliamentary seats with fewer votes than we receive."

In July, the Reform party secured over four million votes, capturing 14% of the total vote share, which surpassed that of the Liberal Democrats.

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