Apologies in advance for any nightmares our magazine cover might give you this week, but as someone once said, one picture is worth a thousand words. In the case of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, some of those words would be racist, nasty, ethno-nationalist, populist, fear-mongering … and, as of the past few weeks, confusing.
What is Reform, now that its ranks have been augmented by the worst of the old Tory party?
As Paul Mason writes for us this week, Farage has a political identity crisis on his hands. From radical iconoclastic rebels to … a safe haven for the likes of Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman? Hmmm.
As Paul writes: “Once you look past the common denominators – racism and Islamophobia – they are importing all the contradictions of elite conservatism into the heart of the populist right.”
With the party still flying high in the polls, and fancying its chances for an upset in the Gorton and Denton by-election (although in picking prize prat and Muslim-baiter Matt Goodwin he may have dented his chances in a seat with a 30% Muslim vote), the scrutiny on what exactly Farage is building here could not be more timely. It may provide, as Paul believes, clues about how to defeat him.
Farage is, after all, clear favourite to be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the next General Election. Like I said: try not to have nightmares.
Additionally, Patience Wheatcroft wonders what is happening to the Tory Party under Kemi Badenoch. Together, these two articles present a compelling guide to the plate tectonics pulling the right of British politics apart.
Prepare for earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis, people.
Also this week:
Matthew d’Ancona examines Tucker Carlson and believes the facts point to an even greater ambition than conquering YouTube. Does he want to be the first podcaster President?
Paola Totaro interviews the irrepressible and magnificent Ralph Steadman … perhaps the most famous political cartoonist of our age. It’s a brilliant read.
Alastair Campbell is disgusted by Jeff Bezos and the expensive cynicism behind his Amazon-produced hagiographic movie Melania. Meanwhile John Bleasdale feels queasy about the rehabilitation – under Donald Trump – of Melania’s director, Brett Ratner, accused as he is of multiple sexual assaults and featuring in the Epstein files. And we sent James Ball to actually watch it, so you, dear reader, don’t have to. His review is here. I can’t remember what office sin James committed to be sent on that job, but it must have been grave.
Nicky Woolf presents evidence that Donald Trump is entering some form of serious mental decline.
Zoë Grünewald rails against the student loan system – calling it a lifelong trap.
Nigel Warburton seeks philosophical karma in Kentish Town.
Sadie Harper writes on an extraordinary set of photographs taken by Jane Evelyn Atwood documenting life in women’s prisons.
Far-right populist Jordan Bardella is likely to be France’s next president. A new book explains why. Denis MacShane reviews it for us here.
Finally, from me in this round-up of highlights: Matthew d’Ancona thoroughly enjoys the new movie Nouvelle Vague, while Marie Le Conte, in her dilettante column, pronounces the inspiration behind it – French director Jean-Luc Godard – insufferable. The New World is, you see, a bag of contradictions – and that’s just how we like it. I hope you like it too.
