'ENTERTAINMENT MACHINE'
Nigel Farage slammed over ‘giant ego trip’ as he reveals ambition to be prime minister in five years
Farage previously said his latest return to frontline politics was part of a five-year plan
NIGEL Farage's masterplan to be prime minister by 2029 has been slammed as "ridiculous" by Michael Gove.
The Brexit firebrand confirmed he would seek the keys to No.10 at the next election and called for “genuine change” from the two-party system.
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But his party was mocked as outgoing Tory big beast Mr Gove slammed Reform as "an ego trip".
The Levelling Up Secretary told Times Radio: " Nigel Farage is part of a great entertainment machine.
"He is not someone who can govern this country.
"Reform is a giant ego trip, not a serious programme of alternative change. Nigel Farage provides amusement and diversion.
"What he does not provide is authority and good governance.
"In this country, whoever we vote for in the end, the British people choose authoritative, sensible managers, whether from the left or the right.
"What they don't do, is go in for the performative politics that Nigel has made such a successful financial career out of".
Mr Farage had previously declared his return to lead the right-wing Tory rivals was part of a “five-year plan”.
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Last week he also declared himself to be the “new leader of the opposition” and said he'd win "many" seats after one poll showed Reform above the Conservatives.
Speaking to the BBC this morning, he blasted that the Tories “can’t agree on anything”.
He continued: “They’re split down the middle, and we know what we stand for, we know what we believe in, and for democracy to function properly there needs to be a proper voice of opposition.
“And our plan – and this is our first big election as a party – our plan is to establish that bridgehead in Parliament and to use that voice to build a big national campaigning movement around the country over the course of the next five years for genuine change.”
Asked if he would stand to be prime minister at an election in 2029, Mr Farage replied: “Yes, absolutely.
“I think the disconnect between the Labour and Conservative Westminster-based parties and the country – the thoughts, hopes and aspirations of ordinary people – are so far apart from where our politics is.”
It came as Reform’s deputy leader claimed the party had shown its economic plans to the Office for Budget Responsibility – despite the watchdog being legally prevented from assisting with opposition party plans.
Interviewed on Sky News, Dr David Bull said: “We have and we've spoken to top economists… I can't tell you what the OBR said because I didn't speak to them… '
Challenged on how he knew the OBR had been consulted, Dr Bull said: “Because I do, because we know that we've had due diligence across all our policies.”
Earlier today Farage launched his “contract with the people” in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales.
The party has promised to remove seven million people from the tax system entirely by raising the personal income tax allowance from £12,500 to £20,000 a year.
Farage also promised last week to lift the two-child benefit cap, which would hand a boost to around 270,000 families.
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Farage is also expected to cut corporation tax to 15 per cent as part of what he has branded “The Great British Tax Cut”.
The surging populist will unveil his plans in Wales “because it shows everyone exactly what happens to a country when Labour is in charge”, as he turns his guns on Sir Keir Starmer.
Last week Farage told The Sun he was on course to hoover up millions of votes. Experts believe many will be 2019 Tory voters.
He said just winning one seat in Clacton in Essex, where he is standing in his eighth bid to become an MP, was not enough.
He added: “We are not going to get four million votes. We are not going to get five million votes.
“We are going to get a very, very substantial number of votes.
“I genuinely think we can get over six million votes. I don’t know where the ceiling is.”
Six million would be streets above the 3.9 million his former party, Ukip, won in 2015 when it secured 12.6 per cent of the vote.
The firebrand is determined to get on the next few TV debates to shore up his voter base.
He said: “Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer are taking part in a BBC debate on 26th June. As we are now ahead of the Conservatives in the polls, I demand that Reform UK is a part of this debate.
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“If the BBC want a fight with me on this, they can have one.”
He also insisted on being part of the four-way leaders’ event next week that also includes the Lib Dems and the SNP.