Andy Haldane, former Bank of England chief economist, asserts that Nigel Farage has become the most representative figure for the working class, reflecting growing disconnection between mainstream politics and the electorate. Haldane points to surges in support for Reform UK as evidence of a significant breach of trust between the government and voters, advocating for Labour to implement a “radical reset” of its economic strategy to reconnect with these disenfranchised groups.
Haldane comments that Labour’s ineffective growth strategies and policies on winter fuel payments and the two-child benefit limit have inadvertently pushed voters toward Farage, who seems to more effectively articulate their concerns. He argues that despite Farage’s controversy, he currently stands as the “tribune for the working classes,” noting that Labour and other parties need to better address the needs of these constituents.
While Labour recently secured a win in the Holyrood by-election, its defeat in the Runcorn by-election and losses in council seats have raised concerns about its ability to retain core voters in key regions. Haldane, known for his role in the last government’s “levelling up” plans, calls for a comprehensive review of Labour’s regional growth and industrial strategies, emphasizing the need for substantially greater investment in education, skills, and training to support these goals.
In anticipation of Rachel Reeves’s upcoming spending review and the government’s industrial strategy announcement, Haldane urges for a more robust approach to empower regions and nations within the UK, arguing that without this effort, Labour’s ambitions for growth will
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jun/08/nigel-farage-like-a-tribune-for-working-class-former-bank-of-england-economist-andy-haldane
