Nigel Farage launched his eighth bid to become an MP today with a promise of plans to replace the Conservative Party in a revolution which will shake British politics.
The Reform UK leader launched his bid to get into parliament in front of cheering crowds on Clacton pier on the Essex coast, declaring it to be “a revolution to change British politics”.
The event – which was open to members of the public, who attended in their hundreds crowding into the street, lining footbridges and slopes around the launch – contrasted hugely with the stage managed events of Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer.
But a young woman throwing what appeared to be banana milkshake in his face after he completed his media round revealed that not everyone in the Essex seaside town welcomed him and illustrated the dangers of being so exposed.
There was also a small protest at the back of the crowd as he delivered his speech with demonstrators holding a sign saying he was not welcome.
Before the milkshake attack, a buoyant Mr Farage had been riding on the crest of a wave of adulation from a town which was once held by Ukip MP Daniel Carswell and voted 73 per cent for Brexit in 2016.
Speaking to journalists in the Moon and Starfish Wetherspoons pub, he made it clear that Clacton was the first step in a plan to replace the Conservative Party.
He said: “It’s over, it’s done, let’s all grow up, there is no election, Labour are going to win. The positive thing that I’m trying to do is to provide a voice of opposition to a Labour government.
“We need a proper voice, an opposition voice that represents the silent majority, for common sense. It’s still there in the country and I’m absolutely convinced the current Conservative Party who spent four years fighting among themselves, rather than getting on and running the country, in opposition – imagine their recriminations in opposition.”
Asked about his aims for the next five years he likened the situation to Canada in 1993 when the Canadian Conservative Party went into an election as the government and only won two seats. They eventually were replaced by the then resurgent party.
Mr Farage told reporters: “My aim is for the centre right of British politics to realign and it can’t do that under the current Conservative mask, there needs to be a change.
“If there was a model I was looking for, then maybe it may sound ambitious, it will be Canada back 30 years ago.”
Asked if he meant a new party he agreed: “That’s right.”
But added: “What I do know is without a strong Reform, without millions of votes, without some seats in parliament, it won’t happen.”
Mr Farage was accompanied by Richard Tice who was party leader until yesterday and is running in Boston and Skegness.
Mr Tice, who is standing in Boston and Skegness, told The Independent: “People are going to be surprised. We are going to overturn some huge majorities of 20,000 and more.”
Farage praised his predecessor, despite ditching one of his policies on migration live on air this morning when pressed on asking overseas territories to take asylum seekers for money.
He said: “Richard has done a very good job. He has kept the show on the road. The policies are mostly there but there will be tweaks, a Farage twist if you like.”
The Reform leader insisted that he expects his party to field the 630 candidates in England, Wales and Scotland previously promised and said there would be no deals with any Tory MPs.
Asked if he expected any more Tory MPs to follow Lee Anderson and defect to his party, he said: “I am not very interested in Tory MPs. They had their chance and failed. I am more interested in the British people.”
Mr Farage also spoke of the areas of poverty in Clacton, noting that it is a “town at the end of the railway line that has been forgotten and marginalised”.
He said: “I cannot promise miracles but I will try to make a difference to people living here.”
While he said he will be watching the leaders debate between Sir Kier and Mr Sunak tonight he said he wished he could be taking part himself.
He dismissed the two main party leaders as “Lib Dems saying the same thing”.
Mr Farage also accused the Tories of lying on Brexit and immigration, noting that they had promised to bring net migration down in the last four manifestos but failed every time.
He said he did not believe Mr Sunak’s pledge last night to set a visa cap on new legal migrants and described this election as “the immigration election”, insisting that he would make that his top issue.
Asked about Tory voters being scared of voting for Reform because of letting Labour in he retorted: “When they will realise it is over? The Tories have lost already, they will find it much easier to vote Reform.”
He is also being cheered on by his friends in the USA with the Donald Trump camp reaching out to give their moral support.
Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr had told him he is “bold” and wished him luck.
Meanwhile, in a sign thet the Conservatives may put up a fight, Tory MP for Clacton Giles Watling was hanging outside the Wetherspoons pub while Mr Farage held court inside.
A spokesperson for Mr Watling said: “Farage has a mountain to climb.”
