Above left, Mr Nigel Farage (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Farage) and above right, Mr Anthony Middleton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_Middleton).
There has been much talk of late in what before the Brexit Referendum in June 2016 was the EuroRealist community about the recently apparent and perceived policy changes of Reform 2025 Limited (Company Number: 11694875).
There are accusations that Mr Farage has gone “woke”! Now such an accusation should if applied to Mr Farage – the doyen of the UK’s populist right – be akin to a person accusing President Trump of being a socialist!
However, it is NOT!
So……. What is happening here?
Well it is directly related to Reform 2025 Limited’s numbers in the opinion polls and with it the numbers for the Conservatives (His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition) and Labour (His Majesty’s Government).
The Parliament Acts (as amended) ensure that the next United Kingdom general election has to be held on or before Wednesday 15 August 2029. In point of fact this means Thursday 9 August 2025 – four years from today!
It was said (without evidence) that Harold Wilson said that a week is a long time in politics. Well, four years is a political lifetime!
Notwithstanding this the “powers that be” aka “the civil service establishment” are looking to the future and are beginning to plan for the potentiality of a majority Reform government. As a result, one can reasonably speculate that there have been informal communications between certain parties or representatives of same in Reform and certain parties or representatives of same the from within “powers that be” aka “the civil service establishment”.
At the same time, many Conservatives (and possibly some Labour members) are considering their positions.
You see, the establishment are desperate to ensure that as much as the status quo remain after August 2029.
They realise that certain things – talismans – will have to remain either in whole or in part.
A policy that many Reform supporters support is the undoing of the UK’s path to “Net Zero”.
Of course, a policy that many Reform supporters support is the reduction in the numbers of migrants (irregular and regular, aka, illegal and legal) into the UK.
Another policy is withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act.
It is said by some commentators that there is a dearth of policy insofar as Reform 2025 Limited is concerned. They are NOT wrong!
This dearth is intentional. More than that, it is essential!
You can bet your bottom gold coin or bitcoin that the “powers that be” aka “the civil service establishment” are hoping and will be supporting ministers in putting off the general election for as long as possible! This following the long established “Micawber Strategy” of “Something Will Turn Up!”
At some point over the next four years “something” will very likely turn up!
The plain and simple FACT of the matter is that His Majesty’s Government led by The Right Honourable Sir Keir Starmer PC, KCB, KC, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Member for Holborn and St Pancras is NOT in control of events but that EVENTS are in control of IT!
In fact that HMG’s position can be compared to the complement of a rubber boat making the crossing across the Straits of Dover – at the mercy of the elements!
Of course, one person who has been accustomed to these sort of maritime risks is the gallant Mr Anthony Middleton.
I make mention of the gallant Mr Middleton because three is the possibility that Mr Farage may retire from active politics before 2029. This of course would mean a new leader of Reform 2025 Limited or it’s replacement.
Now of course, to an election strategist, Mr Middleton would appear to be the perfect candidate, a handsome, former special forces solider he would appear to have the potential for support from the man in the street plus the man in the street’s wife and daughters.
There is unfortunately (for Mr Middleton) and to the delight of politicians in all other parties other than Reform a particular fly in Mr Middleton’s ontiment.
Mr Middleton was convicted of the unlawful wounding of a male police officer and the common assault of a female police officer in a nightclub in Chelmsford, Essex in 2013 the following year after leaving the Special Boat Service. He described the incident as being “alcohol-fuelled” and went on to state “Once I realised what I’d done, I thought, “Oh my God””. He gave himself up to the police after a short initial search. He was sentenced to 14 months in prison, of which he served four months.
I would make the following two comments:
#1: Mr Middleton had left the colours only twelve months before and it can reasonably be assumed that PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) played a significant part in the circumstances that led up to this situation.
#2: The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as later amended. Mr Middleton’s conviction has been “spent” for some time now.
I am NOT going to begin to make policy suggestions for Reform 2025 Limited or any other party. I will just state the following:
That the situation of the UK in 2029 is likely to be so serious as it will demand a leader possessing great courage, determination and will.