From Iran war to rock star rallies... how Nigel Farage is striving to turn 'Reform-curious' crowds into votes

LEADER AHEAD OF LOCAL ELECTIONS

- BY MICHAEL KNOWLES Home Affairs Editor

Nigel Farage, centre, on stage in Swindon with local candidates

STANDING on a balcony overlooking a crowded bingo hall in Swindon, Nigel Farage was watching closely.

Not looking at his lieutenants working up the rally, but at the audience themselves.

What were they reacting to? What was striking a chord?

Within 30 minutes of the warm-up acts, the Reform UK leader had observed that the gathering was "older" than most of his party's mass meetings and that many attendees were probably traditional Conservatives.

Describing them as "Reform-curious", Mr Farage declared he had to win over their hearts and minds — then he walked out to a rock star-style fireworks reception, with adoring supporters chanting his name.

It was the finale of another campaigning day ahead of the crucial May 7 elections.

The Daily Express met Mr Farage outside RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Addressing a video camera, he warned his army of social media followers that Britain was involved in the Iran war "whether we like it or not".

He launched a blistering attack on Sir Keir Starmer for failing to let Donald Trump use the Diego Garcia airbase in the Chagos Islands or Fairford for the initial US-Israeli bombing raids — claiming that had plunged the UK's special relationship with America into crisis. With the Pentagon's long-range bombers in the background, he declared:

"There's virtually no Royal Navy.

"It is shameful, not just how small our Navy is but most of it is in dry dock. I'm hoping this moment is a major wake-up call to the sheer extent of dereliction.

"We've underplayed defence at a time when the world is at a more dangerous place than since 1945.

"We are weak, we have nothing, we are vulnerable, we are under threat — and what Starmer did by saying No to the Americans to begin with has now broken the special relationship. We are in trouble."