Farage is a protean politician and more pragmatic than is generally understood

Nigel Farage is an extraordinarily protean politician and more pragmatic than is generally understood.

Reform came second in 97 constituencies ( 89 won by Labour ) and the arrival of Zia Yusuf , a former investment banker, as chairman has since strengthened the party’s organisation and infrastructure.

Farage is invariably likened to Enoch Powell , but is uncomfortable about the comparison.

Farageism is a long-established force in British politics.

In different guises he has been organising, agitating, enraging and disrupting for two decades .

But these are disturbing new times, and his instincts align with them.

The question, then, is for whom and what kind of change is coming.