The Guardian view on Reform UK: a cult of perpetual grievance with unearned influence | Editorial

Boris Johnson's 2019 win was greatly helped by Nigel Farage's choice to not run Brexit party candidates in areas where Conservative MPs were already in office. This had a huge impact on the final outcome of the election.

As the Tories face the possibility of losing, many of them are hoping for Reform UK to come to their aid, which evolved from the initial Ukip movement. Richard Tice, who is currently leading the party in anticipation of Farage's return, stated on Wednesday that there will not be any kind of partnership between the two parties.

Reform UK is a small group that holds more power in Westminster than its poll rating suggests. The Conservatives are overly concerned about them because even a small number of voters defecting could have a significant impact on their number of seats. In addition, the party is given a lot of positive coverage by media outlets that are favorable to the Conservative party. Mr. Farage has his own program on GB News.

Mr Tice doesn't have the same abilities as Mr Farage when it comes to captivating an audience, and he's having difficulty translating his unwarranted screen time into importance. On Wednesday he presented his plan for the election, which is an incongruous mixture of nationalist and libertarian requests like imprudent reductions in taxes and spending, refusal to combat climate change, and completely stopping immigration.

It is not feasible for any responsible government to execute such a scheme. However, the benefit of being a fringe politician is having the freedom to propose absurd ideas without the pressure of actually implementing them. The unfortunate situation for Britain is that the attitude of creating policies that go against reality has taken hold of the country's most longstanding political party through Brexit.

Rishi Sunak has not fully committed to promoting a practical form of Conservatism. Although he may personally exhibit more reserved leadership qualities, several of his decisions as a leader, such as abandoning goals for reducing carbon emissions and focusing excessively on deporting individuals seeking asylum, appear to have been influenced by deference to the extreme right wing.

If someone asked, the prime minister hasn't rejected the possibility of Mr Farage joining the Conservative party. It seems like a logical match in various ways. This demonstrates how much the Tories have changed since the referendum on being a part of the EU.

Many Conservatives choose not to speak out against Reform UK, only expressing concern about how it may impact their chances of winning elections. They worry that the smaller party could take votes away from the Conservatives and ultimately lead to a Labour victory. This is a valid concern, but it also highlights the fact that Chancellor Sunak is struggling to identify any significant differences between his own political beliefs and those of Reform UK leader Mr. Tice. This similarity is a result of years of gradual convergence. If the Conservatives fail to win the next election and are no longer focused on governing in a practical and effective manner, this divide between the two parties could completely disappear.

Because of this, the idea of being against something has a special appeal to the tired and disheartened members of the Conservative Party. It gives them a chance to let go of their duties and gives them the ability to grumble about the state of the country that was influenced by choices made when they were in charge. This type of insincerity is widespread among those who are opposed to the European Union, along with the tendency to transform successes into complaints.

The Tory leaders that came after one another have repeatedly sought to please the hardliners, whether it's about Brexit or other matters. This surrendering approach has led to an increase in radical demands from a group of winners who act as if they're being persecuted while setting policies that the prime minister must follow.

It is impossible for a group that constantly complains and finds fault to be taken seriously as a governing party. Time is running out for Mr. Sunak to demonstrate his understanding of this distinction.

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