The UK’s answer to Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, has already begun using the straw-haired sex pest’s playbook when it comes to far-right populism. That is, two hours after the general election polls closed he’s already crying “FOUL” about the corporate media.
Farage: ‘foul, FOUL I say!’ (Yes, mate, you are)
The exit poll is showing Farage’s Reform Party could win 13 seats. To be fair, this is a) very good for a small party, and b) probably not representative of the actual number of votes the party will get due to our creaking First Past The Post electoral system.
Now, Farage could have commented on those things as they’re fair and valid points. He could have been humble. But instead, he decided to lie through his teeth to his supporters via a video on social media.
Trump’s vestigial twin – albeit one probably crudely removed by some back-street surgeon – took to X to crow about his party’s results. However, he also decided to take aim at the corporate media. Farage said:
To watch the TV coverage, it’s almost comical. There’s not a single representative on there from Reform UK. Mainstream media are in denial, as much as our political parties. This is going to be six million votes, plus…
The revolt against the establishment is underway. pic.twitter.com/xB7DQuvXWT
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) July 4, 2024
The last bit might be true – but the rest isn’t.
Liar, liar
Clearly Farage was banking on none of his audience having watched Channel 4’s election coverage – where Reform’s Ann Widdecombe was on ALL FUCKING NIGHT prior to his video:
Can someone please turn off Ann Widdicombes mic?
Not because of the coughing, you understand, just because she’s Ann Widdicombe.
— Richard James Purdom (@Richard_Purdom) July 4, 2024
To be fair to Farage, Widdecombe was having a perpetual coughing fit throughout her appearance – so, he may have missed her:
Ann Widdicombe is choking to death….it’s all going off on Channel 4
— Will Broome (@williambroome) July 4, 2024
Or mistaken her for a Star Wars character:
Ann Widdicombe looking and sounding more like Darth Sidious every day
— Conor Bradley Fan Account (@DanKennett) July 4, 2024
But SURELY Farage couldn’t have mistaken his own deputy leader David Bull for anyone else – apart from that dude off Most Haunted in the noughties?
David Bull was on BBC, Ann Widdecombe is on Channel 4, this is a lie https://t.co/jaOFR3e7H2
— A N G U S R A Z E (@ANGUSRAZE) July 4, 2024
Regardless, here’s the thing.
Trump’s vestigial twin
While Farage’s lies about the corporate media seem small fry, they’re not. There are all manner of things he could call them out on – but instead, he chooses to lie. This is straight out of Trump’s playbook – and sets a extremely worrying tone for the next five years.
Featured image via Nigel Farage – X
