Labour swept to power in 2024 with 412 seats. Just a year later, poll-of-polls suggest they could slump to 119, while Reform rockets from 5 seats to a projected 368 - enough to form a government. The Conservatives? Reduced to just 36 MPs. If a week is a long time in politics, a year is an eternity. The only safe prediction: turbulence ahead.
At the heart of this upheaval is Nigel Farage. His message is blunt, emotional, and rooted in fear. Among other things, he has promised mass deportations of asylum seekers, withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights, the scrapping of the Human Rights Act, and suspension of the Refugee Convention. He warned that Britain is “not very far away from major civil disorder.”
Whatever one thinks of the policies, the leadership style is unmistakable: fear as fuel, disruption as strategy, urgency as theatre. It works - for now. But it also exposes five flaws in leadership that every serious leader must reckon with.
-
Fear is persuasive - but corrosive
Fear cuts through complexity. It rallies, it polarises, it gets attention. But leadership built on fear is inherently unstable: it solves nothing and leaves followers more anxious than before. Leadership tip: If you use fear, pair it with hope. Otherwise, you’re not leading, you’re inciting.
-
Rhetoric creates reality
When Farage warns of “major civil disorder,” he isn’t just describing a risk. He’s planting an expectation. Language this sharp can make unrest more likely. Leadership tip: Leaders don’t just comment on reality; they shape it. Choose words that calm, clarify, and construct, not words that inflame.
-
Simple stories beat complex truths
Deportations, withdrawals, suspensions - it sounds straightforward. But the legal and moral realities are not. Populists thrive on simplicity because it outpaces nuance. Leadership tip: Resist the temptation to oversimplify. If the truth is complex, explain it with clarity rather than pretending it isn’t. People respect honesty more than spin.
-
Short-term gains can trigger long-term costs
Farage’s surge proves fear works in the moment. But tearing at legal frameworks and international conventions has consequences that linger far beyond a news cycle. Leadership tip: Ask yourself: will this choice strengthen or weaken the institutions my successors will inherit? Sustainable leadership builds foundations, not bonfires.
-
Silence creates space for extremes
One reason Farage thrives is that mainstream leaders have hesitated - too slow to address asylum fears, too cautious to frame a compelling alternative. Into that silence, the loudest voice wins. Leadership tip: Don’t leave a vacuum. If you won’t lead on hard issues, someone else will.
Final thought
Farage’s rise is a reminder that leadership abhors a vacuum. When mainstream politics drifts or dithers, bold - and often reckless - voices fill the gap. Fear may be a powerful accelerant, but it is a poor foundation for legitimacy. Real leadership isn’t about amplifying anxiety. It’s about confronting it with honesty, courage, and a vision that builds rather than burns.