Rudyard Kipling’s 1888 short story named The Man Who Would Be King told the story of two conmen, Daniel Dravot and Peachey Tolliver Carnehan. Tired of no luck in India, they trekked north into the fearsome mountains of Central Asia with a cluster of Martini-Henry rifles to befriend a tribal chief, assisting him in defeating his enemies, before snatching power for themselves. The pair were successful and ended up with their very own kingdom, until Dravot tried to marry a local Kafir girl who bit him, drawing blood. The sight betraying Dravot as a mere man, not god nor devil, the Kafirs he came to briefly rule turned upon him and hacked down a rope bridge he tried to flee over. Dravot plunged to his death in the gorge below.
This quirky 19th-century fiction may remain fiction if it wasn’t that our kingdom may have it’s very own man who would be king in Nigel Farage. His Reform party has a rapidly growing membership and possibly a growing position in power - lately helped a long way by Elon Musk’s $100 million pledge. It is no surprise as to why Reform is seeing such good fortunes.
They have tapped into a rather potent feeling in the British electorate. Most folk are tired of the mainstream parties who they see as having repeatedly broken promises and acting more in their own interests rather than that of the people. There are even some suggestions that Farage, helped along by Richard Tice, may very well become Prime Minister, maybe as soon as the next election in 2029.
If he achieves this, for better or ill, it cannot be denied that he would have pulled off a historic rise to power. Taking a party from zero MPs to power over a Parliamentary term would be unheard of. Whether he does this is very much doubtful, but I do see parallels between Reform and Labour’s early years. Labour grew out of a ragtag band of Socialist radicals in Edwardian Britain. Going from nothing, within a couple of decades they came to power and pushed the Liberals into an irrelevance. Does the same fate await Reform? And that of the Tories as the Liberals for that matter.
Perhaps, but Kipling's story does offer an interesting parallel - especially if Reform’s seizing of power is as swift as some believe. I personally find Farage interesting. Love him or loathe him, he’s certainly one for the history books. However, for some, he does have a kind of messiah image - here he comes our saviour who’ll make everything better. But what if when he does get his Kingdom, he is bitten by some crisis, and we see him as merely a mortal man?
Britain is in a woeful state and definitely needs a good shake, and the mainstream parties so far seem to be without ideas. I liked that during the general election Farage was brave enough to touch upon our most sacred millstones - the NHS. Everyone else is terrified of going anywhere near our state religion. But, that said, I am wary of anyone who pits themselves as the all-knowing all-solving solution.
Reform will be interesting to watch, but beware, if they’re found to be able to bleed, then there are a few who’ll be happy to cut down that rope bridge.
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