Nigel Farage has delivered his New Year message from Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
In his message to the nation he speaks about why he jumped back into the political arena, becoming a grandfather, the optimism he has for the country and his belief that Reform UK can make Britain great again.
Speaking for nearly 6 minutes without an autocue, he diagnoses the current economic and societal decline we are experiencing as a nation.
Notes to editor: Please use the link to download the address itself and three photos.
On becoming a grandfather: “I look back on 2024, a year that started with me in almost semi-retirement, not involved in active politics, approaching my 60th birthday with my first two grandchildren on the way, and I couldn’t help thinking about what this country had been, the values that it had represented, and what it was looking like today.”
On the 2024 election: “I said in that general election, albeit with four weeks to go, we’d get millions of votes and we’d establish a bridgehead in Parliament. Well, that is what we have done, and I think everybody acknowledges we have made a real impact over the course of these last six months.”
On our values: “Everything we do is based on values, and those values are around the things that matter to us family, community and country. They’re the things that got me back in politics, and we’re going to campaign for us to look at history in a different way, for our kids to be proud of who we are as a nation”
On boat crossings: “We’re going to campaign for proper border controls. The fact that now 150,000 people, nearly all of them young men, have been able to catch dinghies across the English Channel and come into this country, frankly, is an outrage to everybody.”
On the cost of living: “We’re going to campaign to reduce the cost of living. I promise you, the net zero plans put in place at the time of Theresa may, now being pursued by Ed Miliband in the most extraordinary way, will do nothing more than put up everybody’s bills and close down British manufacturing industry. We want to make this country prouder.”
On the momentum of Reform: “And over the course of Christmas, tens of thousands of people have joined reform UK. And there is a buzz. There is an energy.”
On the optimism of Reform: “There is an optimism. We’re not negative. Yes, we know the other lot made an absolute mess of it. That Labor and Conservative are virtually the uni party. We believe we can turn this country around by 180 degrees and make Britain a much better place.”
On helping Reform: “if you agree with what we’re trying to do, don’t just sit back and nod. Do something about it. Join those 150,000 people who’ve already joined our party, because I promise you this the only way we win.”
