"Sorry to call it early, but the worst trend of 2026 is politicians who are graciously doing us all a favour. He doesn't need to be here, declared Nigel Farage yesterday of Reform UK's newest sloppy second, Nadhim Zahawi. He could have gone abroad. Ooh, aren't we lucky! Thanks for stopping by, Nadhim! If you missed this, the former mayfly Conservative chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has switched gravy trains."
"The Tory gravy train has ground to a halt, and Farage will stop his Reform train even between stations to pick up any old has-been you may remember from episodes like deathbed Boris Johnson appointments or my horses are warmer than pensioners. (More on that latter one shortly.) Needless to say, Farage is doing his best to explain that these guys aren't secondhand, they're pre-loved. They're vintage, they're appealingly worn in, they're heritage pieces."
Nigel Farage recruited former Conservative chancellor Nadhim Zahawi into Reform UK and framed the move as Zahawi not needing the role. Farage presents ex-Tory figures as 'pre-loved' and vintage political assets rather than secondhand politicians. Reform UK increasingly fills up with wealthy veteran politicians who emphasise that politics is optional and that they can afford not to serve. Several figures repeatedly portray political service as a voluntary sacrifice they can make. Richard Tice openly states that his business pays for everything while political activity merely costs him. Political status is treated like luxury branding.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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