‘THEY’RE the most optimistic group of people I have met’ – that was the view of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as he met the party’s Worcestershire candidates.
Mr Farage, on a whistlestop tour of the country, chose the Oast House pub in Redditch on Tuesday evening for the meet and greet.
For the first time in a local election, Reform UK is fielding a candidate in every division – 53 in total – and they all gathered in the pub waiting for Mr Farage’s arrival.
When that came, there were loud cheers as he entered and he addressed the waiting crowd.
After his speech, it was out into the beer garden for group shots and photographs with Mr Farage and each of the candidates.
‘Bullish group’
Speaking to the Standard afterwards he said: “This is the most optimistic and bullish group I have met.
“If you weren’t optimistic, you wouldn’t do this but they clearly believe they can win Worcestershire County Council.”
He praised the candidates’ efforts and endeavours adding: “Many have knocked on more than 400 doors – they’re really trying.”
On the battle for the county he added: “Looking at the numbers, this will be a straightforward fist fight between us and the Tories.
“This is one of their long-term strongholds and a bookmaker would probably make them marginal favourites, given the history.
“But you never know.
“They are not going to turn out for Labour in Worcestershire, it’s not a Lib Dem area, the Greens will focus on a few seats and will win a few seats – I’m sure of it – but apart from that, it’s us versus the Tories.”
He did say Worcestershire would not be in Reform UK’s ‘top bracket’ of target councils but added statistics showed that around 40 per cent of people had considered voting reform. Many had chosen not to because they did not believe we could win.
“But if there is a belief we can win – as there is among our candidates – it will increase voter turn-out and more people will vote for us.”
On the message he wanted to get across locally he said: “On a local level, it is not Worcestershire County Council’s job to spend £500,000 on decarbonisation – that’s not their job.
“Their job is to represent council taxpayers and spend money on local services – for SEND kids, roads and other services.”
He described the council’s decision to spend £16million on the Kepax bridge which he referred to as the ‘bridge to nowhere’ as the ‘most ridiculous thing he had ever heard’.
Farage on local government
Mr Farage said local government had ‘become too complacent’ and ‘we need to send the auditors in’.
“It needs a big shake-up and we’re the only ones who can do it.”
He said with the way central government had vastly reduced the amount of cash it had given to local councils, they had to cut the cloth accordingly.
“My criticism of Worcestershire County Council is it hasn’t done that – until now, because they’re panicking.
“We need a leaner, more efficient local government with higher productivity levels.”
The NHS
One of the candidates expressed concerns about the message being sent out by Reform UK with regard to the NHS and how it was funded and delivered.
Mr Farage denied he wanted to privatise the National Health Service.
He added: “It’s not about privatisation, it’s about whether you have to pay to use it.
“A lot of lies have been put out about what we have said.
“I have always said the funding model is broken – the bigger percentage of our GDP we put in, the less return we get out.
“I want the NHS to be free – as it was designed to be in the late 1940s – and how we get to that point needs a radical rethink.
“Whether it means using healthcare insurance companies, I don’t care – as long as we get more bang for our buck and we’re not getting it now.”
He pointed to healthcare systems in ‘our neighbours across the Channel’ which were doing a lot better than the UK.
“France and Germany are organising healthcare better than we are, so let’s learn from them.”
