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Nigel Farage has tried to convince Reform UK members at their annual conference in Birmingham that they are on the verge of power.

But scratch the surface of the pyrotechnics, glitter cannons, and Trumpian sloganeering, and what emerges is a dangerous mix of fantasy economics, culture-war rhetoric, and personal vanity.

Farage told supporters that Labour is heading for “civil war” following Angela Rayner’s resignation as deputy prime minister, and claimed there could be a general election in 2027 – even though the law makes 2029 more likely.

The boast was part of an effort to portray Reform as the real opposition, a movement that can ride what he called a “turquoise tide” to victory.

But what does that actually mean? Here are your answers:

• Cuts without compassion: Farage promised “serious” cuts to the benefits budget, without saying where or how. Those who rely on support to live are simply in his crosshairs.

• Fantasy border claims: He said he could “stop the boats within two weeks” – a soundbite with no credible plan behind it. Even the Home Office, with far more resources, has never managed such a thing.

• Climate denial: He vowed to scrap “harmful, wasteful net zero policies”, showing once again his contempt for science, the environment, and future generations.

• Toxic policing rhetoric: His “zero tolerance policing” may sound tough, but in practice risks escalating community tensions and criminalising the vulnerable.

To ram home the theatre, Farage shared the stage with Tory defectors Nadine Dorries and Andrea Jenkyns, while glitter cannons fired.

Dorries – a symbol of the last Conservative government’s incompetence – was hailed as a star signing, even as Labour pointed out that Farage had no substance, only “anger without answers”.

The conference also revealed Reform’s increasingly close ties to corporate lobbyists, with hundreds of them mingling in the exhibition hall.

What began as a self-styled “anti-establishment” movement now looks suspiciously like a vehicle for vested interests dressed up in populist rhetoric.

And then there’s the Trump influence: Farage borrowed the US slogan and changed it into “Make Britain Great Again”, complete with the nationalist theatre of flag-waving and denunciations of “the establishment”.

This was not about policy – it was about identity politics, grievance, and creating enemies.

Even some members admitted that what they felt was not so much hope as the thrill of “seismic change” – not real solutions, just the buzz of rebellion.

This is why Reform is toxic.

Beneath the glitz, its core message is divisive and destructive.

Farage wants to present himself as the only one who cares about the country, but history shows he thrives on chaos: first whipping up Brexit, then walking away when the hard work began.

The truth is simple: you cannot trust Nigel Farage.

He promises the earth, but delivers only division.

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