Nigel Farage, the pro-Brexit activist and serial disruptor of British politics, announced plans on Monday to stand in Britain’s general election next month, dealing a fresh setback to the prospects of the country’s troubled prime minister, Rishi Sunak.
The surprise announcement by Farage, who represents a far-right rebel movement, threatens to upend the election campaign by taking votes away from Britain’s ruling Conservative Party. In doing so, it could make it even more difficult for Sunak and his party to narrow the double-digit gap in the polls with the opposition Labor Party.
Divisive, charismatic and famous for his communication skills, Farage was one of the architects of Brexit, which a narrow majority of Britons supported in a 2016 referendum. Some analysts believe that his previous decision not to stand for election has weakened him momentum of Reform UK, the successor to the Brexit Party he once led.
Last month Farage said he would not seek a parliamentary seat because he wanted to prioritize supporting Donald J. Trump’s election campaign in the United States. Farage is a longtime ally of the former president and campaigned for him in 2020.
