Polling by More in Common indicates that Donald Trump is now underwater in terms of favourability even with Reform voters, who were previously the only set of supporters who viewed him positively. Among men and women, 23% listed 'Farage's support for Trump' as the primary reason they would not vote for his party, ahead of other factors like the party being seen as too rightwing, racism by some candidates, lack of government experience, or perceptions they only represent the rich. The issue is particularly stark among British women, with 25% of those polled last week citing this as the main deterrent.
Focus groups reveal that voter anxiety about the Trump association and potential chaos is kryptonite to would-be Reform voters, especially women and those in the party's 'second 15%', who are needed to approach forming a government. According to The Guardian, Luke Tryl of More in Common said would-be Reform voters can't understand why Farage associates with Trump, and it makes them more nervous about 'rolling the dice'. Nigel Farage has become less vocal about his relationship with Trump by day 31 of the war in the Middle East, while unveiling his party's latest pledge to cut the cost of living on Tuesday and promoting a plan to scrap taxes on short-haul journeys at Heathrow airport.
Trying to read what's really in the minds of people in the White House right at the moment is a mug's game.
With Reform voters as vulnerable as any other to the looming economic storm, the daily uncertainty of the war is now also becoming a problem for the party. Reform voters were found by YouGov to be more positive than others towards the US strikes, but their expectations still tend to be negative regarding geopolitical stability and household finances. Historically, after the 2016 US presidential election, then president-elect Donald Trump first suggested Nigel Farage would do a great job as Britain's ambassador to the US, and in the years since, Farage routinely emphasised his ties, boasting in January last year that he had the incoming White House administration on speed dial.
I'm not going to lie about it, am I? I'm not going to pretend I don't know him. I do.
I think what he has done on the border [with Mexico] is admirable.