By Elyasaf Kosman

Copyright ynetnews

Nigel Farage, who recovered from serious injuries after being hit by a car, survived a plane crash and beat cancer, waged a 20-year campaign against the European Union, culminating in a historic victory with Britain’s withdrawal from the Union. Now, Farage has a new top priority: saving what he calls a “broken Britain” from the influx of immigrants entering the kingdom. He specifically warns about Muslims, whom he says are not integrating well into Western culture, and British voters are responding to his message. Polls predict a historic victory for Farage and his hard-right Reform UK party in the next election — which, if realized, would break a century-long hold on power by the two major parties, Labour and the Conservatives. The next national elections are scheduled for 2029, and much could change before then, but Farage is confident they will be moved up, potentially to 2027. He promises that when that happens, his party — once considered a fringe, extreme-right group — will be ready to take the reins of government. His pledges are ambitious, though some may be difficult to achieve. Among them, he said that within just two weeks of entering 10 Downing Street, he would “stop the boats” — halting the migration of people crossing the English Channel from France. He also vowed to deport 600,000 illegal migrants over five years and implement sweeping cuts to taxes and government spending. Farage, 61, was elected to the London Parliament for the first time last year after seven unsuccessful attempts to enter Westminster. In recent months, he has positioned himself as the main opposition to Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, overtaking the Conservatives in influence, and has largely set the tone on immigration — now, according to polls, a greater concern to Britons than the economy. Farage has leveraged recent protests sparked by anger over housing illegal migrants in taxpayer-funded hotels — protests that erupted after one migrant sexually assaulted a girl outside a hotel. He describes the influx, which has grown over the past year since Labour came to power, as a full-scale invasion. “The country is in a very bad place. It’s a mix of anger and despair. It’s no surprise that protests broke out outside the hotels. We are in economic decline. Social order is breaking down. Culturally, we are unraveling. It’s as if our leaders have forgotten who we are, and when we question it, they do everything to suppress free speech online. We will not accept that. “Our country, without a doubt, is in the most dangerous position in my lifetime. And we, people tell me on the street, they vote for me and say — ‘You are the last chance we have to put this country back on track’ — we are the last chance this country has!” Farage told a large party gathering in Birmingham this month. A close ally of US President Donald Trump, Farage pledged at the same meeting to “make Britain great again,” echoing Trump’s well-known campaign slogan. Like other populist leaders worldwide, he emphasizes in his speeches the cultural threat posed by migrants and “the political establishment.” He concluded his address by saying, “Above all, we must make Britain proud of itself again. We have lost sight of who we are and stopped publicly acknowledging our Judeo-Christian culture, which underpins everything we are. We refuse to allow the poisoning of our children’s minds in schools and universities with a distorted interpretation of the history of these remarkable islands.” ‘Tail wagging the dog’ Currently, Farage’s Reform UK party holds just five of the 650 seats in the British House of Commons. Yet for weeks, polls have suggested that if a new election were held today, the party would become the largest in Britain, winning nearly 300 seats, while the ruling Labour Party would fall to fewer than 200, down from 411 in the last election. Farage’s success has been fueled in part by his charismatic, everyman appeal, including his fondness for drinking beer in pubs — a stark contrast to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is perceived as dull. Among attendees at a recent Reform UK rally was 17-year-old Danny Leggett, wearing a “Make Britain Great Again” hat. Speaking to CNN, he said Farage “seems like someone you’d enjoy having a pint with,” while calling Starmer “robotic.” Starmer, who has described Farage as “the real opposition,” has struggled to address public concern over immigration. Last year, Labour did not prioritize the issue and scrapped the Conservative government’s plan to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda. Now, Starmer has toughened his rhetoric on illegal immigration, even warning recently that Britain could become an “island of foreigners,” though he later apologized after sparking anger among Labour colleagues. Critics argue he is being dragged along by Farage. “It’s a bit like the tail wagging the dog. Labour seems to have no principles,” said Anand Menon, a professor of European politics at King’s College London. ‘Hitler Youth songs’ and Rivers of Blood Farage’s anti-immigration stance appears to date back to his youth. Born on April 3, 1964, in Greater London, his father left the family when Farage was five. Raised by his mother, he grew up in an upper-middle-class household and attended the prestigious Dulwich College, where he developed a love for cricket and rugby — and cemented conservative, some say extreme, political views. A decade ago, Channel 4 revealed a letter written by a teacher at the college protesting Farage’s appointment as a prefect at age 17. The letter claimed one teacher described him as a “fascist,” while another said he and several students had “shouted Hitler Youth songs” on a school trip. Farage has denied singing Hitler Youth songs, saying, “I don’t know any such songs, in English or German,” but admitted to arguing frequently with teachers and described himself as a “troublemaker” at the time. In his memoirs, he claimed some teachers were hostile toward him because he admired Conservative politician Enoch Powell, known for his hardline anti-immigration stance. Powell stirred controversy with his 1968 “Rivers of Blood” speech warning of the consequences of rapid immigration from Commonwealth countries. Farage himself dropped out of university at 18, choosing to work as a commodities broker in London, like his father, and has often criticized young people for pursuing academic paths instead of practical trades. At 22, he was seriously injured after being hit by a car outside a pub. Doctors feared he would lose his leg, but after two months in the hospital and nearly a year in a cast, he recovered. A positive outcome of the accident: the nurse who treated him, Gráinne, became his first wife, and they had two sons. A few months after recovering, Farage was diagnosed with testicular cancer and underwent surgery to remove one testicle. He later said the experience made him determined to make the most of his life and potential. He divorced Gráinne in 1997 and remarried two years later to Kirsten Mehr, a German citizen, with whom he had two daughters. He divorced Kirsten a decade ago and is currently in a relationship with French politician Laure Ferrari. Farage began his political career with the Conservative Party but left in 1992 in protest over Prime Minister John Major’s signing of the Maastricht Treaty, which established the European Union. Since then, Farage has dedicated his life to leaving the EU. A year later, he helped found the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and was elected to the European Parliament in 1999. He served continuously for more than 20 years, until Britain formally left the EU in early 2020. Plane crash and Brexit victory Farage led UKIP from 2006 and became a well-known figure across Britain, in part due to his provocative statements on immigration. He held no sacred cows, even criticizing then-Prince Charles — now King — after a 2008 European Parliament speech calling for stronger action on climate change. Farage was reportedly the only lawmaker who did not stand to applaud, calling the prince’s advisors “stupid.” Years later, in 2019, Farage privately mocked Charles as “Charlie Boy” and expressed hope that Queen Elizabeth, who died in 2022, would live long enough to prevent Charles from becoming king. In 2010, Farage survived a serious plane crash. During a national election, he was flying a light aircraft displaying a UKIP campaign banner when the banner became entangled in the tail, causing the plane to crash. Farage was rescued bleeding from the wreckage but survived and recovered. Speaking to the media from his hospital bed, he said the experience made him even more determined to pursue his political vision: “I was very lucky to survive. If I didn’t hesitate to confront the establishment before the crash, since that day I’ve become fearless.” Farage was rescued bleeding from the wreckage of a light plane that crashed in 2010: Over the years, Farage pushed for a referendum on Britain’s EU membership. In 2014, he led UKIP to a historic victory in the European Parliament elections, finishing first in the U.K. The result increased pressure on then-Prime Minister David Cameron to hold a referendum. When the 2016 vote took place, the Leave campaign won, surprising many pollsters who had predicted a Remain victory. Farage played a significant role: unlike more moderate Conservative Leave supporters like Boris Johnson, he emphasized immigration at a time of heightened concern due to the European migration crisis and ISIS terror attacks. In 2015, Farage sparked controversy by claiming that some Muslims in Britain were a “fifth column” aiming to kill Britons. During the 2016 campaign, he released a propaganda poster depicting a convoy of migrants under the headline “Breaking Point.” The poster generated massive media attention, and some critics accused it of drawing inspiration from Nazi propaganda. Even Johnson distanced himself from it, emphasizing it was not part of the official campaign. Nevertheless, the poster contributed to the surprising Brexit victory and later inspired Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in his own election campaign. “It changed European politics,” Farage later said. After the referendum, Farage earned the nickname “Mr. Brexit” in the media. He resigned as UKIP leader but continued serving in the European Parliament until the U.K.’s formal departure from the EU. During that period, he cultivated a friendship with Donald Trump and participated in Trump’s 2016 campaign rallies — another shocking political outcome. Farage has remained a close Trump ally and attended his inauguration this year. He travels to the U.S. so frequently that Prime Minister Starmer joked last year in Parliament: “I’m glad to see him making rare appearances here in Britain. He spends so much time in America, I expect he’ll be counted in their immigration statistics.” Reality TV, disappointment with Conservatives: ‘I’ll never forgive’ In 2019, amid internal UKIP tensions, Farage left the party and founded the Brexit Party, which, after the U.K.’s EU exit in 2020, was renamed Reform UK. He stepped down as leader in 2021 and began focusing on media work, becoming a host on the British conservative channel GB News. For £1.5 million, he also appeared on the reality show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, similar to Survivor, where celebrities endure harsh conditions and challenges. Farage, who finished third, was required to enter a box filled with snakes. Farage returned to politics last year. He initially announced he would not run in the U.K. election to support Trump’s U.S. campaign, but in June — just a month before the vote — he changed course and announced that he would run in the election and resume leadership of Reform UK. The campaign was short but intense. Farage faced scrutiny over revelations of racist, Islamophobic and homophobic comments by party activists, including one recorded suggesting illegal immigrants be used as “target practice” for military training. Farage initially condemned the remarks but later accused Channel 4, which aired the investigation, of setting a “trap” for his activists, claiming one participant was an actor — a claim the channel denied. Regardless, the party achieved a notable result. Farage was elected to Parliament, and his candidates collectively received 14.3% of the vote. The party won only five of 650 seats due to Britain’s first-past-the-post system, which favors larger parties: each constituency elects one representative, and a simple plurality suffices. For comparison, Labour received only 33.7% of the popular vote in the last election but secured 411 seats because its candidates won a majority in many constituencies. This electoral system explains why Farage’s party, despite lacking majority support, is currently projected by polls to win power. Calls to switch to proportional representation have emerged to potentially curb his rise. Farage now declares himself the true opposition, not the Conservatives, whom Labour displaced after 14 years in power. Alongside his criticism of Starmer and the left, he also expresses deep anger at the Conservatives, accusing them of implementing “open borders” policies that, he says, have changed life in Britain. He claims that in some areas, such as Oldham, where a quarter of residents are Muslim, “entire streets no longer speak English.” Farage also blames the Conservatives for mishandling Brexit negotiations, arguing the U.K.’s departure from the EU ultimately failed to improve the British economy. “What Brexit proved, unfortunately, is that our politicians are as useless as the commissioners in Brussels,” he told the BBC two years ago. Farage rejects calls to reunite with the Conservatives, particularly former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and has said he will “never forgive” him for allowing “millions of immigrants” to enter Britain legally after Brexit. ‘No to religious war’ Since last year’s elections, Farage has been preparing his party to take power. A key test came in May local elections, where Reform UK won more than 600 seats across 21 local councils, mostly at the Conservatives’ expense. Adding to this momentum, Conservative MP Danny Kruger recently defected to Reform UK. “The Conservatives are finished,” Kruger said. “There were times I was very proud to be a Conservative. But our government has been a failure: bigger government, social decline, lower wages and higher taxes.” Still, not everything is smooth within Farage’s party. In March, party colleague Rupert Lowe offered unusually pointed, if measured, criticism. He expressed doubts about Farage’s ability to fulfill his promises, telling the Daily Mail: “He can deliver only if he surrounds himself with the right people. “Nigel is extremely independent and has been very good at what he’s done so far. He has messianic qualities. But will these translate into wise leadership? I don’t know.” Farage reacted angrily, accusing Lowe of acting from self-interest, and at a recent party meeting urged members: “Can we please maintain discipline and debate our disagreements privately, not publicly?” Farage focuses his criticism on Muslim immigrants. In a Sky News interview, he said that, unlike immigrants of other faiths, Muslims have not integrated well into British society. “We see a growing number of young people in this country who do not share British values and who actively despise much of what we stand for,” he said. Asked if he was referring to Muslims, he replied affirmatively: “Unfortunately, I recently saw surveys showing that 46% of British Muslims support Hamas — an organization classified as a terrorist group by this country.” Opponents have accused Farage of spreading Islamophobia and misinformation about immigrants, but he denies it and maintains distance from more extreme right-wing figures like Tommy Robinson, who last week led a massive anti-immigrant march in London. Farage’s distancing from Robinson drew criticism from billionaire Elon Musk, a supporter of far-right causes in Europe, who earlier this year called on Farage to resign. “Many Americans see Tommy Robinson as a free speech hero,” Farage said. “But I think much of what he says is aimed at nearly starting a religious war against Islam as a whole — instead of addressing real problems in that religion.” Interestingly, until recently, Farage’s party was chaired by British-Muslim businessman Zia Yusuf, the son of Sri Lankan immigrants who describes himself as a “Muslim patriot.” Yusuf stepped down as chair in June, after a party MP asked Prime Minister Starmer if he would support a ban on the burqa, the full-body Islamic garment. Yusuf said it was “silly” to demand this from the PM when the party had not officially adopted a stance. He remains in the party and now leads its DOGE unit, modeled on Elon Musk’s Trump-era U.S. “Office of Government Efficiency,” which implemented major budget cuts. Farage has promised to adopt a similar approach in the U.K., beginning with local councils where his party already holds power. Support for Israel: ‘Did we forget October 7?’ Farage has previously been accused of making statements with anti-Semitic undertones, including a 2017 claim that the U.S. has a “powerful Jewish lobby” enjoying immense wealth. Yet he also expresses explicit pro-Israel positions. He supported Israel’s June preemptive strike on Iran in the “12-Day War,” saying the country “had no choice” but to attack nuclear facilities. He has criticized the Labour government’s current policies toward Israel, opposing the partial arms embargo and plans to recognize a Palestinian state. “You cannot recognize a Palestinian state at this time — when Hamas, a terrorist organization committed in its charter to erase Israel from the map, exists,” he said in July. “I sometimes wonder if we have forgotten what happened on October 7, and the fact that Hamas later said it would do it again and again. None of this is meant to praise what Netanyahu did or what is happening in Gaza. In the long term, if we have an Israeli state and a Palestinian state that live side by side and respect each other’s right to exist, that’s fine. But doing it now is rewarding terror.” Farage also warned against international pressure on Israel, saying the country is “losing its friends” worldwide. “Are we still Israel’s allies?” he asked.