Britain | Bagehot

Britons should watch GB News, carefully

The insurgent channel is a threat to its rivals, and a trap for the Tories

Illustration of a vicious set of teeth, emanating aggression from a GB News broadcast
Image: Nate Kitch

For years, British politicians made the error of ignoring, and then mocking, Nigel Farage and his UK Independence Party. “Fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists,” was the verdict of David Cameron, a Conservative leader, in 2006. “A collection of clowns,” later concurred Kenneth Clarke, his justice secretary. UKIP was an electoral minnow; its gatherings were farces. Yet Mr Farage’s loyal following of unfashionable people from unimportant towns allowed him to redraw the terms of British politics, and to drag the Conservative Party to the right. Brexit followed.

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Watch GB News, carefully”

From the September 2nd 2023 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Britain

Crew members during the commissioning of HMS Prince of Wales

Has the Royal Navy become too timid?

A new paper examines how its culture has changed

A pedestrian walks across the town square in Stevenage

A plan to reorganise local government in England runs into opposition

Turkeys vote against Christmas


David Lammy, Britain’s foreign secretary

David Lammy’s plan to shake up Britain’s Foreign Office

Diplomats will be tasked with growing the economy and cutting migration


Britain’s government has spooked markets and riled businesses

Tax rises were inevitable. Such a shaky start was not

Labour’s credibility trap

Who can believe Rachel Reeves?