Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the United Kingdom continues to experience the political aftershocks of the Brexit referendum.
The comments highlight the perceived instability of the British government as it continues to navigate the structural and political changes following its departure from the European Union.
Speaking with Sky News Australia host Paul Murray, Farage described the original vote to leave the EU as an earthquake in British politics [1]. He said the nation is still feeling the resulting tremors years later [1].
Farage pointed to the frequency of leadership changes at 10 Downing Street as a primary indicator of this instability. He said the UK has had six prime ministers in seven years [1].
This rapid turnover in leadership has shifted the UK's international reputation, according to Farage. He said that while the British used to laugh at the political volatility of Italy, the roles have likely reversed [1].
"We used to laugh at Italy, well, I think the Italians are now probably laughing at us," Farage said [1].
Farage framed the current state of the government as a direct consequence of the seismic shift caused by the 2016 vote. He said, "We voted Brexit … it was an earthquake in British politics, and we are still feeling the aftershocks of it" [1].
“We are still feeling the aftershocks of it.”
Farage's assessment reflects a critique of the UK's executive stability following the 2016 referendum. By comparing the UK to Italy—a country historically viewed as a caricature of parliamentary instability—Farage suggests that the process of Brexit created a systemic volatility that has yet to be resolved, regardless of which party holds power.
