Quote · The Rest Is Politics
545. Burnham Beats Reform: Britain’s Next Prime Minister?
Where this was said
Peak Reform? Farage's Ceiling and the Scandals Chipping Away
At 21:15 · chapter starts 21:10
Alastair Campbell has been arguing for some time that we are through 'peak Reform' — and the Makerfield result, he suggests, is evidence. Despite topping national polls, Reform has now lost three parliamentary by-elections in a row: to Plaid Cymru in Caerphilly, to the Greens in Gordon and Denton, and now to Labour in Makerfield. The money scandals are doing damage, the Russia links are beginning to trouble voters, and the arrival of figures like Robert Jenrick, Suella Braverman, and Nadhim Zahawi — Tory retreads who are now presenting themselves as insurgents — stretches credulity. Campbell notes James Cleverly is on the Leading podcast this week and highlights council by-elections in Essex where Reform won seats in May but subsequently lost them back to Conservatives, suggesting their candidate quality is thin. Farage's post-result statement, blaming Restore for splitting his vote, is itself an admission of weakness: the combined votes still wouldn't have beaten Burnham.
Despite topping national polls, Reform UK has now lost three consecutive parliamentary by-elections — to Plaid in Caerphilly, the Greens in Gordon and Denton, and Labour in Makerfield. The money scandals, Russia links, and Tory retreads like Jenrick and Braverman are capping Farage's ceiling.
