How Trump's Influence Is Being Felt Ahead of the Local Elections in England

Voters across parts of England will be heading to the polls on Thursday, May 1, to cast their ballots in local elections. These are seen as the first significant test for political parties since last year’s U.K. general election, which saw the Labour Party, under leader Sir Keir Starmer, return to power.

The May 1 elections apply to some councils and authorities in England, with over a 1,600 seats being contested.

Whilst the Labour and Conservative parties have traditionally been England’s main political bodies, right-wing politician Nigel Farage has been driving forward his Reform UK party in hopes of potentially challenging the usual British political order.

In last year’s general election, Reform UK won five constituencies and received 14.3% of the popular vote. Farage is a long-standing supporter of President Donald Trump, with the two expressing similar viewpoints, and Reform UK’s popularity has steadily grown since last summer.

A core policy of the Reform UK party is its plan to “freeze immigration.” Farage focused heavily on immigration during the 2016 E.U. referendum, of which he was a key figurehead. For the last decade or so, Farage has argued that immigration puts a strain on the National Health Service (NHS) and has claimed there’s a threat to “British values.“

These talking points were key focuses of the party’s election campaign last year, not too dissimilar to Trump, who has put tackling immigration at the heart of his second term in office.

Farage has been a vocal advocate of Trump and his policies for many years. The U.K. lawmaker met with the President after the U.S. election in 2016, described him as “the most resilient and brave person” he had ever met at a 2020 election rally, and called Trump an “inspiration” during a Reform UK rally in February.

It appears Farage has been taking inspiration from the President’s rally style, too. On March 28, Reform UK hosted what they described as their ‘biggest event yet’. The rally drew comparisons to Trump’s MAGA rallies for its bright lights, pumped-up crowd, and references to immigration.

Since then, Farage has toured the U.K. targeting areas voting in local elections with expected strong support for Reform UK. The right-wing party is projected to perform well, and the results will likely provide an insight into how popular their ideas really are amongst the British public.

Despite his alignment with Trump’s methods and ideas, Farage has clashed with another of the President’s advocates, Elon Musk.

In January, via a social media post, Musk called for a new leader for the Reform UK party, saying Farage “doesn’t have what it takes.” In an interview published on April 29, Farage called Musk a “hero,” but added that he won’t be “bullied” by the billionaire when deciding on the direction his party should take.

According to YouGov polls, voting intention on April 28 showed that 26% of voters would choose Reform UK if there was an election to be held the next day. This was ahead of the current Labour government at 23%.

Trump’s presence is being felt across other branches of the local elections, also. The May 1 elections include six mayoral contests, one of which is in the town of Doncaster, in the North of England. Conservative candidate Nick Fletcher has titled his campaign “Make Doncaster Great Again,” taking inspiration from Trump’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) slogan.

In an online manifesto, Fletcher listed the values that he shares with Trump, including securing borders and addressing illegal immigration, shifting away from DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies, and advocating for pro-life initiatives.