For once, Nigel Farage is the dog that doesn't bark | John Crace

Nigel Farage's sudden silence on Monday was a breath of fresh air in the often chaotic world of British politics. The Reform party leader usually makes headlines, even when there are none to be had, and this week was no exception. With numerous scandals swirling around him, including allegations of electoral fraud, racism, and antisemitism, one would expect Farage to use his platform to address these issues.

But instead, he chose to remain mum, perhaps sensing that his public image has become so tainted by his own actions that speaking out could only make things worse. And it's not as if there wasn't an opportunity for him to do so – the media was eagerly waiting for a statement from him on any of these matters.

However, Farage's silence meant that someone else took center stage: Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative party's new rape gangs inquiry chairman. In a surprise move, Badenoch called a press conference to propose new terms of reference for the inquiry, flanked by survivors and family members. Her message was one of unity and cross-party cooperation – or so it seemed.

The problem with Kemi's words, however, lay in their underlying tone. As she began to speak, her criticisms of other parties soon emerged, painting them as complicit in the abuse of rape gangs. She took a hardline stance, claiming that only the Conservatives were willing to tackle this issue head-on – and that Labour, Reform, the Greens, and Plaid Cymru were either unwilling or unable to do so.

Badenoch's words were laced with a familiar Kemi-like venom, where she often finds herself competing against others – in this case, her own party members. Her language was heavy-handed, bordering on divisive, and her motives seemed murky at best.

Meanwhile, Keir Starmer was making headlines of his own. The Labour leader has become an unlikely social media darling, boasting about his new Substack account and TikTok presence. In a move that can only be described as desperate, he proclaimed himself the "first world leader to have a substack account" – because who needs policy when you've got a platform?

Starmer's midlife crisis is evident in his attempts to connect with younger voters, but it comes across as forced and awkward. His attempt at using TikTok and Substack feels like a marketing ploy rather than genuine outreach. The same can be said for his overemphasis on highlighting his own achievements – everything he does, "I do it for you" – which sounds suspiciously like a campaign slogan.

In the end, Monday's events served as a stark reminder that politics is full of unexpected twists and turns. While Farage may have taken a well-deserved break from speaking out, Kemi Badenoch's words will be closely scrutinized by the media and the public alike. As for Keir Starmer, he needs to focus on delivering policy rather than trying to stay relevant in the digital age.
 
🤔 I'm so tired of politicians using their platforms to stir up division instead of unity 🌎. It's like they're competing in some sort of twisted game, where whoever can be the most confrontational wins 🏆. Kemi Badenoch's words were super alienating - it felt like she was talking down to people who aren't even involved in rape gangs, and that just isn't okay 👎.

And don't even get me started on Keir Starmer trying to be cool on TikTok 😂. Newsflash: being a leader doesn't mean you have to be an influencer 🙅‍♂️. I want my leaders to focus on solving problems, not trying to fit in with the latest social media trends 📱.

It's times like these that make me wonder if we're really moving forward as a society 💔. We need leaders who can bring people together, not drive them further apart 🔒. Can't we just have one politician who can be honest and authentic without trying to manipulate public opinion? 🤷‍♀️
 
🙄 Farage's silence was a breath of fresh air? Are you kidding me? The guy has been making headlines with scandals and controversy for years - it's a wonder anyone still takes him seriously! 🤦‍♂️ And now he just disappears when things get hot? That's not leadership, that's cowardice.

And don't even get me started on Kemi Badenoch... her words were super divisive and divisive language is never good for politics. It's like she was trying to win an argument rather than having a genuine discussion 🤔. And those party affiliations she was bashing? Come on, that's just playing the victim and not addressing the real issues at hand 🙄.

And what's with Keir Starmer and his social media obsession? Does he really think going viral will make him a better leader? Newsflash: it won't. It's time for him to focus on policy rather than trying to stay relevant on TikTok 📱. And by the way, "first world leader" joke was pretty cringeworthy 😂
 
omg i knowwwww Kemi's tone was SO sus 🤑👀 like she was more worried about competing with her own party members lol 😂 and don't even get me started on Keir Starmer's midlife crisis 🤣 he needs to stop trying so hard to be relatable and just focus on actually doing some good policy 📊💡
 
🤔 I'm loving the drama unfolding in British politics right now! 📰 Nigel Farage's silence is definitely a breath of fresh air after all those scandals surrounding him 🙄.

But let's talk about Kemi Badenoch - her press conference was super interesting, especially with survivors and family members by her side 👥. However, I think she needs to work on her tone, it came across as pretty divisive 🔴.

And can we just say that Keir Starmer is trying way too hard to be cool online 🤣? Boasting about his Substack account and TikTok presence feels like a midlife crisis in progress 😂. Let's see if he can deliver on some real policy changes instead of just trying to stay relevant! 💻
 
I'm not surprised Nigel Farage has gone quiet - his scandals have been piling up for years 🤔. The fact that Kemi Badenoch took center stage and got all the attention is just another example of how politicians will do whatever it takes to shift the focus away from their own messes 💁‍♀️.

Badenoch's words on rape gangs were super concerning - she's painting other parties as complicit, which feels like a classic case of deflecting blame 🚫. And her language was straight out of the Farage playbook: divisive and heavy-handed 😒.

As for Keir Starmer trying to be social media cool, I'm just not buying it 😂. It sounds like he's more worried about his online reputation than actually addressing the issues that matter to people 🤦‍♂️.

And can we talk about how ridiculous it is for him to claim himself the "first world leader with a Substack account"? Like, what even is that supposed to achieve? 🙄
 
omg I'm literally so done with politics right now... Farage staying mum was like a breath of fresh air but at the same time it's just another example of how out of touch the establishment is. Badenoch's press conference was super awkward, she sounds like she's competing against her own party members and her words were laced with this venom that's just so off putting 🤢

and can we talk about Keir Starmer for a sec? his midlife crisis is real he's trying to be all social media savvy but it comes across as forced and awkward. "I do it for you" is literally the most cringeworthy campaign slogan ever 🙄
 
🤔 Farage's silence is a welcome change, but I'm not sure if it's because he wants to avoid scrutiny or just running away from his own controversies 😂. On the other hand, Kemi Badenoch's press conference was kinda interesting, but her tone felt really off - like she was trying too hard to be the hero 🤷‍♀️. And can we talk about Keir Starmer's social media antics? It feels like he's just trying to keep up with his 20s 📱💻. But honestly, who needs a Substack account when you've got actual policy to back it up? 🙄
 
omg yaaas can u believe farage just took a step back from all the drama lol i mean good riddance to all that toxicity 🤗 but badenoch's words tho? like they did come across as pretty divisive and i'm not sure if her motives were entirely pure 🤔 anyway kemi seems to be trying hard to make a name for herself, maybe she'll surprise us with some actual progress on the rape gangs inquiry 💁‍♀️ meanwhile starmer's just trying too hard to fit in lol substack and tiktok just don't feel like his thing 📚👀
 
omg u think keir starmer is tryin 2 be relatable w/ his tiktok & substack tho 🤣 but like, it comes acrs as super forced n awkward... i mean, who needs a substack account 2 b "first world leader" LOL 😂 n kemi badenoch's words were straight up divisive 😒 her rite 2 be passionate bout this rape gangs inquiry, but can't she just calm down & not paint other parties as complicit? 🙄 Farage may have been quiet, but at least he didn't stir up more drama 💁‍♀️
 
omg what a week in politics 🤯 i think Farage was right to take a break from talking about himself all the time lol. but seriously though badenoch's words were super sus - she seemed way more interested in tearing down others than actually helping with the issue of rape gangs. and keir starmer's social media game is just... weird 🤔 who tries to boast about having a substack account on tiktok? it feels like he's trying too hard to be cool 😂 anyway, i'm loving how kemi badenoch took center stage this week - at least her message was clear even if it wasn't exactly what we wanted to hear 😊
 
🤔 so what's up with Keir Starmer trying to be social media fam? like, is that really necessary? can't we just have a leader who does their job without trying to be cool on tiktok? 📱😂 and has anyone else noticed how many scandals are going around Nigel Farage lately? i mean, electoral fraud and racism... that's some serious stuff. 🤕 why doesn't he just speak out about it instead of staying quiet? 🗣️ and what's with Kemi Badenoch's press conference? did she really think flanking survivors with family members would make her sound more united? 🤷‍♀️
 
🤔 I think this whole thing is a classic case of politics as usual 🙄. Nigel Farage being quiet about his scandals is probably just him playing the part of the victim - it's all too familiar for me. And then Kemi Badenoch jumps into the spotlight with her own set of problems, but at least she was honest about who to blame 🤷‍♀️. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer is trying to be cool on social media, but honestly, who thought that was a good idea? 😂 Can't he just focus on getting things done instead of trying to fit in with the young folks?
 
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