Does Nigel Farage really want to be Prime Minister?

Does Nigel Farage really want to be Prime Minister?

From The Edition by The Spectator

March 20, 2026 · 45 min

About this episode

The episode discusses Nigel Farage's political ambitions and the current state of British politics with a panel of experts.

Nigel Farage is a shark – hell bent on devouring Britain's political class, as illustrated with the Spectator 's cover story this week, co-authored by James Heale and Tim Shipman. Yet, from rows over the pension triple lock to stagnation in the polls, it isn't clear that Farage has a strategy for power. Reform may win the battle of the Right, but does its leader really want to be Prime Minister? For this week's Edition , host Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator 's Chairman Charles Moore, deputy political editor James Heale and Times Radio broadcaster Jo Coburn. The panel ponder the idea that Farage may crave power without responsibility. As James puts it, Farage is akin to a southern revivalist – but is momentum waning? For Charles, the Commons is still the 'cockpit of the nation', meaning the Conservatives hold a numerical advantage over Reform in driving the agenda. Addressing the crunch point of the local elections in May, Jo says it is clear that Labour will be 'hoisted by their own petard' and that the Greens offer a more 'successful repository' for those seeking radical change. What is clear is that British politics has never been more unpredictable. As well as…

People in this episode

Host: Lara Prendergast

Guests: James Heale, Charles Moore, Jo Coburn

Topics covered

  • British politics
  • Nigel Farage
  • Reform party
  • local elections
  • political strategy
  • BBC funding
  • defense issues

Keywords

  • Nigel Farage
  • political strategy
  • Reform party
  • local elections
  • BBC
  • Iran crisis
  • Cuba
  • London

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Spectator, Times Radio

Places: Britain, Cuba, London

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