In a stark political warning, Business Secretary Peter Kyle has drawn a direct comparison between Nigel Farage and the controversial legacy of Enoch Powell, attributing the rise of far-right parties to the UK's sluggish economic performance.
The Economic Roots of Political Division
Addressing the Co-operative party conference, the minister delivered a sobering analysis of the current political climate. He identified Reform UK as a 'far right' party and stated that its appeal, along with that of its figurehead Nigel Farage, is a symptom of a deeper economic malaise.
Kyle's central argument was that a lack of economic prosperity is eroding the public's faith in democracy itself. 'Without securing higher, sustained economic growth, reconnecting people and politics, generating trust in the potential of democracy and importance of good government becomes almost impossible,' he told delegates.
Farage as the 'Incarnation' of Powell's Politics
The minister did not mince his words when characterising the Reform UK leader. Kyle explicitly called Nigel Farage 'today's incarnation of the politics of Enoch Powell'.
This comparison references Powell's infamous 1968 'Rivers of Blood' speech, which severely inflamed racial tensions in Britain. Kyle positioned Reform as the latest in a line of such movements, noting, 'We see it today with Reform, just as we did in previous times with the National Front and the British National party.'
He described the platform of these groups as a 'dogma of disruption, division and despair' that becomes alluring when the economy fails to deliver for people and their communities.
Context of Racism Allegations
The minister's comments come amidst ongoing controversy for Reform UK. The party was recently accused of embracing racism after it appointed a former academic, Matthew Goodwin, to lead its new student organisation.
Goodwin, now a hard-right activist and prominent Reform supporter, has previously posted on social media platform X that he believed even being born and raised in the UK did not automatically mean people from black, Asian, or other immigrant backgrounds were British.
This is not the first time Kyle has publicly clashed with Farage. Earlier this year, he claimed that opponents of the government's Online Safety Act, like Farage, were siding with potential abusers, suggesting figures like Jimmy Savile would exploit the internet if alive today.
The Business Secretary's conference speech underscores a growing political battle, framing strong and sustained economic growth as the essential foundation for defeating divisive politics and rebuilding public trust.
