Cover-Up Keir Searches For His Inner Farage – Guido Fawkes

The drama, which has been dragging a little after the opening episodes, picked up the pace today with character development in both the PM and the leader of the opposition – thanks perhaps to a guest appearance from the disruptive anti-hero, Nigel ‘The Fox’ Farage. He got one of his rare PMQs, but his presence – especially on this, the eve of the local elections – was felt from the start.

By way of prologue, Dan Tomlinson told us that senior Tories were plotting “a deal, a pact, or a merger” of Reform and the Conservatives, and, in his partisan non-sequitur, that the only answer was to vote Labour. The PM, getting to his feet was put back in his place by the Speaker saying, “You’ve no responsibility for any of that.” 

Was that entirely true?  

Over this last year, it has almost been as though Labour is in coalition with Reform, with Starmer amplifying their outsider appeal and cultivating for them the base that they share.  

The black hole falsehoods, the crushing of private enterprise, the multi-pronged assault on education standards, the blitzkrieg Plan for Change (it got eight mentions from their side, it must be on the Downing St grid) – they all contributed to the Reform voter’s contempt of and revulsion at Westminster politics. 

On which cheerful note! 

The character development of the PM seemed to be the result of an effort to locate his inner Farage. He was radiating new confidence, new energy. He was doing authenticity as well as anyone like him is able. The Typhoon bombing of the Houthis might have helped. Prime ministers do draw energy from military deaths (Ohhhh! Shame!) and Keir was able to respond to Farage’s question with something like abandon. It was like watching Dad pogo. 

Farage had said that 10,000 “young, undocumented males” had crossed the Channel illegally, “a 40% increase on this time last year, many coming from cultures that are somewhat alien to ours.” 

No one else can say such a thing in Parliament. What howling it produced. 

“They are being housed at a cost of many billions of pounds a year in hotels and increasingly in private rented homes,” he went on through barracking from in front and trolling from a bald young person behind. “The effect on communities is one of a sense of deep unfairness actually bordering on resentment.”

How the left exult in hating hate criminals. Nigel is essential to their well-being. 

He finished with “Is it not time to admit that Smash the Gangs was nothing more than an election slogan and not a policy?” And (is this new?) he called for a national emergency to be declared.

It was here that Keir released his Beast. It is a little fellow, a mini-Beast, but it is a prime ministerial mini-Beast and has the advantage of office. 

“Reform had a chance to vote for stronger police powers”, he cried, and “what did he and his party do?” Arm sweeping, voice rising, straining for the high notes, “They went into the lobby with this lot in their new coalition!” 

He raved on: Reform meant charging in the NHS, a pro-Putin foreign policy, a crushing of the working class, and it meant “Liz Truss as his new top advisor cheering on the mini-budget!”

That much is true. In terms of economic strategy, Liz Truss (bless her) is a bit Tommy Robinson for Reform, so we can expect that bruise to be punched every time Reform stands up in future. 

As the leader of “this lot”, Kemi may have helped stimulate the PM’s  (she was 50% above semi today) because she managed to prick his integrity on the rape gangs inquiries – the ones that aren’t happening. She asked him a factual question he couldn’t answer (it rattles him when people do that). Oldham  was having an inquiry, “Will he now name where the other four inquiries will be?”

When he declined to, she suggested Keir was involved in a “cover-up” because he didn’t want (Muslim) Labour sins of commission and omission exposed. Keir took personal offence. I’ve seen middle aged men in that condition saying, “I’ve never been spoken to like that in my life!” He told in detail about how he had seen a file of a man who hadn’t been prosecuted and you know what? He prosecuted him. So much for cover up, okay? 

That was 15 years ago.

Kemi on +50% responded with a little fire, and off he went again pogo-ing around the chamber with the Tory record on rape convictions, the state of the judicial system, and the need to be “implementing recommendations”.

Now that she knows the way to make the prime minister look ridiculous, she might try doing it a little more often. 

To be taken out of their exchanges – on rape gangs, Tories tried and failed and now Labour is trying and failing. As on immigration, Tories tried and failed, and now Labour follows faithfully on. 

What will be the effect of reform? Is there any ministerial talent in the party to change these lamentable histories?

If this pact or merger between the two parties of the Right – if it doesn’t happen, never find out. 

If the Tories get 2,500 votes and Reform loses by 2,000 we shall look back on tomorrow as a pre-run of the general election.