Even the losers get lucky sometimes. This hasn’t been the best few weeks for the prime minister. Headlines dominated by the winter fuel allowance and the Chagos islands deal. Little credit for his trade deals with India, the US and the EU. An economy that still feels as if it’s on life support. All reflected in the latest YouGov voting intention polls, which put Reform on 29%, eight points ahead of Labour. Hold an election now and Nigel Farage could be heading for No 10.
Or not. Because on Tuesday, Keir Starmer was handed a lifeline. By Farage himself. Quite what Nige thought he was doing is another matter. Maybe he just wanted everyone to know he was still alive. Had bothered – briefly – to return to the UK from his holiday, reportedly in France, not realising he could have spent an extra week on the sunbed as parliament is now in recess.
