Reform’s rise explained: Ask chief political commentator John Rentoul anything

Welcome to an exclusive Ask Me Anything session with me, John Rentoul, The Independent’s chief political commentator.

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Nigel Farage has never been far from the headlines, but now his messaging – and Reform UK’s platform – has shifted in ways that have sent the party’s poll numbers soaring.

This shift has caught Sir Keir Starmer’s attention, prompting the prime minister to launch a series of attacks on Mr Farage’s plans to spend “billions upon billions upon billions, tens of billions of pounds, in an unfunded way”, describing them as an “exact repeat of what Liz Truss did”.

Starmer said he wants to “protect” working people from the impact of these policies.

One pollster has suggested the UK is on the verge of “a political earthquake”. Martin Baxter, chief executive of Electoral Calculus, said: “On these figures, Nigel Farage would be prime minister with a working majority and no need for a coalition with other parties.”

However, others have urged caution, warning against reading too much into the polls and questioning some of the assumptions behind the Electoral Calculus forecast.

With Farage’s rise gaining momentum, the stakes have never been higher. Critics warn of risks to democracy, supporters see a fresh alternative to the tired two-party system, and many remain uncertain what Reform truly represents beyond a protest vote.

So, what’s driving this surge? What does Reform really stand for, and how credible are Farage’s £80 billion spending promises?

Join me live at 3pm BST on Wednesday, 4 June to explore Farage’s evolving strategy, Reform’s policies, and what this political shake-up could mean for Britain.

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