Trump presents an opportunity for mainstream parties to take down Farage - Yorkshire Post Letters

Big wean. It's doubtful if Donald Trump, for all his Scottish connections, knows the meaning of the Scots vernacular which sums up his intention to sue Britain's national broadcaster for up to £5bn dollars. But that's what he is, a big wean, but a dangerous one.

However, Trump's politics does give an opportunity for the mainstream parties to take down Reform with its leader Nigel Farage on first name terms with billionaire Trump, and indeed sharing his outrage with him a few hours after the BBC story broke. There is no ‘special relationship’ to be preserved.

Does Mr Farage support Mr Trump's disruption of world trade through tariffs? Does he support Trump sending troops into American cities? Will he accept $1m from Elon Musk, another of Farage's chums, if Musk again decides to bankroll Reform?

Will Mr Farage continue to back Mr Trump if Trump bombs Venezuela? Farage's close connection with Trump and his associates begs the question whether Reform's policies are made in Mar-a-Lago or here in Britain.

And given the style of US political attack videos and adverts on their opponents, perhaps the Conservatives, the Liberals, and Labour could do the same. It's not good, as you report, for Labour to pander to Reform; they should challenge their policies.

A montage of Trump with a tiny Farage in his breast pocket would do wonders for their opinion poll ratings. Or how about Nigel dressed up as Uncle Sam?

For, in an opinion poll in February this year electors were asked "if a politician were described as Britain's Donald Trump do you think that would be a good or a bad thing"?

Labour voters responded by saying it would be bad (17 per cent) but 52 per cent said it would be very bad. 25 per cent of Tory voters said it would be bad and 33 per cent very bad, while 13 per cent of Liberal Democrats said it would be bad and 67 per cent very bad. I suspect these percentage would now show have increased significantly.