In short
Nigel Farage (Reform UK) discusses why Britain needs “change from the inside,” argues consensus politics has failed, and lays out plans for immigration enforcement, major economic/financial-regulatory shifts, and a tougher renegotiation of the UK’s EU relationship (including ending EU alignment). He also addresses national security/Russia accusations, crypto/digital assets, and what “Make Britain great again” means to him.
Guests
None. This is a solo interview with Nigel Farage by Michelle Hussain (Bloomberg Weekend).
Guest background
Farage is a long-time Brexit campaigner and Reform UK leader; he served in the European Parliament for over two decades and led a group there for over 10 years. He previously worked as a commodities/metals trader and says he built political movements through grassroots organizing.
Key claims
Britain is “atrophying” economically/societally; Reform could win next election if polls hold; he would govern as a divisive reformer rather than a unifier; Brexit was worth it but not implemented properly; the UK should play “hardball” with the EU and end alignment; FCA is a failure and regulation should be rethought (possibly shifting toward the Bank of England); he is not soft on Russia; he supports using frozen Russian assets (via Belgium) to aid Ukraine; he favors tough illegal-entry deterrence and mass deportations.
Notable examples
1980s City of London deregulation; his prediction about euro/ERM failure; Australia’s 2012 illegal-entry crackdown; his CPAC “Make Britain great again” framing; Nathan Gill bribery case as evidence against Russian influence claims.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOIntroducing Nigel Farage
0:30 to 1:24
An introduction to Nigel Farage and his political background.
“When you're running a business, the best days are the ones where priorities stay on track.”
Introducing Nigel Farage
1:29 to 1:54
An introduction to Nigel Farage and his political background.
Introducing Nigel Farage
2:48 to 4:52
An introduction to Nigel Farage and his political background.
“Remember the moment when the UK voted to leave the EU?”
Farage's Political Aspirations
4:52 to 6:02
Farage discusses his political ambitions and current polling status.
“and reveal really what kind of prime minister he might be.”
Challenges of Leadership
6:02 to 7:58
Exploration of the challenges of being a Prime Minister.
“Well, but also on you personally, the idea of being prime minister, are you properly adjusted to this idea?”
Divisive Politics
7:58 to 9:10
Farage's views on being a divisive figure in politics.
“I'm the only living human being in this country who has built political movements on a table like this with a telephone, a piece of paper, and a pencil.”
Farage's Early Career
9:10 to 10:46
Discussion of Farage's early experiences in the City of London.
“It is the name of your party, but it's also what you want to do.”
Impact of Brexit
10:46 to 12:34
Farage reflects on the implications of Brexit and its worth.
“And this has been a theme of what you've been saying.”
Future Negotiations with the EU
12:34 to 14:00
Farage outlines his approach to renegotiating with the EU.
“that it's a poorer country today than it was, do you think it was worth having the referendum in 2016?”
The Art of Negotiation and Brexit
14:00 to 16:40
A discussion on the challenges and strategies involved in negotiating Brexit.
“Well, I've heard this before from, okay, from conservatives, not from people in your party, but from people who believed in Brexit.”
Show all 33 chapters
Personal Experiences Shaping Leadership
16:40 to 18:50
Exploring personal challenges and their impact on one's approach to leadership.
“I know you had two really traumatic experiences as a very young man.”
Political Instincts and Vision for Britain
18:50 to 23:10
Discussion on political instincts, historical perspectives, and the vision for Britain's future.
“In fact, in many ways, what we're fighting for is a very similar agenda to the one that you've just fought for and the one that you have just succeeded with.”
Regulation and the Financial Sector
23:10 to 26:30
Debating the role of regulation in the financial sector and calls for reform.
“You know, whether it's the Industrial Revolution, whether it's the nuclear energy industry, which we led the world in just a few decades ago, we're very, very inventive.”
National Security and Political Narratives
26:30 to 28:01
Examining accusations of being soft on Russia and the complexities of international relations.
“The endless eastward expansion of NATO and the European Union.”
Accusations and Corruption in Politics
28:01 to 28:34
Explore the fallout from bribery accusations within UKIP.
“I think Trump feels that Putin is made a fool of him.”
Personal Reflections on Nathan Gill
28:34 to 29:06
Nigel Farage reflects on his past association with Nathan Gill and the impact of his actions.
“He's been involved with UKIP, your former party.”
Farage's Stance on Russia
29:06 to 30:02
Discussion on Farage's views regarding Russia and its leadership.
“If I even suspected it, it wouldn't be let through the door.”
Military Intervention and Caution
30:02 to 30:52
Nigel Farage discusses the implications of military action in Ukraine.
“I might have made one comment once, 13 years ago, that said I admired him as a political operator, but not as a human being, and I'd never live in Russia, period.”
The Role of the UN and Historical Context
30:52 to 31:41
Farage emphasizes the importance of the UN's actions in Korea as a precedent.
“Would I put the British army badged as a British army?”
The Role of the UN and Historical Context
32:23 to 33:05
Farage emphasizes the importance of the UN's actions in Korea as a precedent.
“Buying the dip, manually sweeping idle cash, putting on a hedge.”
The Role of the UN and Historical Context
33:08 to 33:28
Farage emphasizes the importance of the UN's actions in Korea as a precedent.
“Brokered services by Open to the Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC.”
Migration Policies: A New Approach?
33:28 to 34:14
Discussion on migration policies and their effectiveness compared to the US.
“But by embedding AI across HR, IT, and procurement processes, we've reduced costs by millions, slash repetitive tasks, and freed thousands of hours for strategic work.”
Proposed Methods for Deportation
34:14 to 36:49
Farage outlines his vision for deportation and immigration enforcement.
“where your agenda is similar to the Trump administration's, for example, on migration.”
Political Will and Immigration Solutions
36:49 to 38:09
Exploring the political will required to effectively manage immigration.
“And we're supposed to just put up with it.”
Economic Plans and Cuts
38:09 to 39:26
Farage discusses proposed cuts to government waste and economic strategies.
“In 2012, they stopped it within a fortnight.”
Attitudinal Change Towards Success
39:26 to 41:50
Farage emphasizes the need for a cultural shift towards entrepreneurship.
“You have all kinds of tax-cutting plans, which are now having to be rethought.”
Farage's Political Identity and Approach
41:50 to 42:00
Discussion on Farage's political style and approach to leadership.
“So you're going to have to inspire people, aren't you?”
Britain's Inspirational Message
42:00 to 44:40
Nigel Farage discusses what makes Britain great today and the importance of a positive vibe for young entrepreneurs.
“You're not known for being someone who appeals right across the country and has a common message everyone can get behind.”
Promises and Trust in Politics
44:40 to 47:10
The conversation shifts to the importance of keeping promises in politics, comparing Farage's views to Donald Trump.
“So is he, to a large extent, restoring faith in the democratic system?”
Farage's Political Resurgence
47:10 to 49:00
Farage reflects on his return to politics, his motivations, and the challenges ahead for his party.
“interview I wondered if you get one these days because you are more in demand than ever before according to your team you're meeting presidents prime ministers and kings from the Middle East these days?”
The Future of British Politics
49:00 to 51:40
Discussion on the future landscape of British politics and the potential shifts within government and party dynamics.
“Just the markets, you know, are going to demand that.”
Unity and Immigration Policy
51:40 to 54:00
Farage outlines his message of unity and his stance on immigration, addressing concerns from various communities.
“Even though I'm trying to shed responsibilities of the party for the moment, I'm still the main entry point for most new people that want to give money or stand as candidates.”
Unity and Immigration Policy
56:06 to 57:04
Farage outlines his message of unity and his stance on immigration, addressing concerns from various communities.
“At Venture Global, we think about what can be done, not what's usually done.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:01In a world that never stands still, we're there to help you act with conviction. At HSBC, we connect the people, ideas, and capital to unlock growth, backing your ambitions at every stage. So when you're planning for the next generation, strengthening your portfolio, or expanding into new markets, we're there, bringing over 160 years of experience to help you move forward. HSBC. Opening up a world of opportunity.
0:30When you're running a business, the best days are the ones where priorities stay on track. For midsize and large companies, that isn't always easy. Risk can touch multiple parts of an organization at the same time, often in ways that aren't immediately obvious. It might involve property, liability, or cyber. It could stem from regulatory requirements or challenges tied to a specific industry or the scale of an operation. At that level, managing risk becomes an ongoing discipline, not a one-time decision. At The Hartford, the focus is on helping businesses manage risk before it turns into something more disruptive.
1:04That means working with companies to identify where they're exposed, decide what matters most, and put practical standards in place so risk is managed as part of day-to-day operations. And when losses do happen, The Hartford can pair that risk control work with insurance coverage grounded in underwriting, risk engineering, and claims experience developed over time. Learn more at thehartford.com slash risk mitigation.
1:54that moves the business. Let's create smarter business. IBM. Bloomberg Audio Studios. Podcasts, radio, news. There are fundamentally two types of people in politics. Those that want to be something, those that want to do something. And I've always been a person that's wanted to do something. Nigel Farage. Brexit campaigner, disruptor, and now UK political leader who could be prime minister. Do you know what? The rank, the title, the position doesn't interest me at all. Doesn't interest me in the least. I couldn't care less about it. What interests me is what you can do with it. From Bloomberg Weekend, this is the Michelle Hussain Show.
2:47I'm Michelle Hussain.
2:52Welcome back. Remember the moment when the UK voted to leave the EU? It's nearly 10 years ago now. And one of the figures right at the forefront of that was Nigel Farage. The sun has risen on an independent, united kingdom. Mr Brexit, indeed, to many people. You might have thought that that was a career peak, an end of the road. They'd achieved what they set out to do. For him, though, it was the start of something new, something bigger, it now seems, because he and his party, Reform UK, have been having an extraordinary time in the opinion polls in Britain. These are polls of voting intention.
3:37And for months now, Reform has enjoyed a sustained poll lead over the two parties which have dominated British governments for the last century, Labour and the Conservatives. Now, an election isn't due in the UK for another four years. But if this kind of poll lead was to be maintained, Nigel Farage has a very good chance of being the next UK Prime Minister. Farage is someone who has been very good at spotting political undercurrents. He did that with Brexit. He's done that in the US in being close to Donald Trump for a long time, understanding in many countries, I think, what's bubbling under the surface and what other people might not see.
4:20So he is worth paying attention to. He's someone also who is very recognisable. He's a big persona. People stop him in the street, want to have their picture taken with him, call him by his first name. He's regularly pictured having a pint in the pub. Now, I knew this was going to be a tough conversation in many ways. He's combative. He's someone who you have to fact check to the best of your ability. And I think you'll get a sense of the tone really right from the start of this. But really, what I wanted to do in this conversation is understand what makes him tick and reveal really what kind of prime minister he might be.
5:02You'll hear us talk about his immigration policies, about the accusation that he is soft on national security, what he reads, whether he would govern for the whole country. And because he has used the words, make Britain great again, ask him what period he looks to in Britain's past. We started though, in the present.
5:26Welcome, Nigel Farage. How are you? All right. Yes, but I mean, life is busy. Well, I want to start with a sense of the moment, actually, because I'm conscious that you are in the midst of a remarkable few months where your party has been leading in the opinion polls in a sustained way, which is why if there was an election today, and we don't really have that kind of system in the UK, but if there was an election today, you'd be, you look likely to become prime minister. election tomorrow, we'd win easily. But the trouble is, it's a marathon to the next election. We've hit the 13-mile mark, and we're a mile ahead.
5:58So it's a good thing. We've done what we've done, but there's a long way to go. Well, but also on you personally, the idea of being prime minister, are you properly adjusted to this idea? Because most people see you, this is what you're known for, campaigner, disruptor, someone who brings change from the outside. Actually leading for the whole country is a very different thing. Yeah, that's the point. We now need change from the inside. We've not had enough change. We are atrophying as a country. We're declining economically. We're declining societally. We're declining culturally. People are leaving.
6:31We're in real, real trouble. So we now need a disruptor, not from the outside to change perceptions, but from the inside to actually change things. Am I ready for it? Yes. You've only been an MP for a year. I've been in politics for 30 years. I was in the European Parliament for over two decades. I led a group in the European Parliament for over 10 years. I've got a lot more experience than Keir Starmer or many of the other prime ministers we've had in the recent years. Political experience, but not governing experience. You've never been part of... You did once say that you couldn't imagine having a seat around the cabinet table, that it was not something that attracted you.
7:10Do you know what? The rank, the title, the position doesn't interest me at all. doesn't interest me in the least. I couldn't care less about it. What interests me is what you can do with it. And there are fundamentally two types of people in politics. Those who want to be something, those who want to do something. And I've always been a person that's wanted to do something. In the past, what I've done is help change public opinion, help shift national debate. I'm now moving that on to the next logical stage. Yeah, but I still wonder about the kind of work that is involved in delivering for a country as the prime minister.
7:47It involves sitting there with the red boxes, going through the official government papers. What do you think I've been doing for the last 25 years? You haven't been going through civil service papers every day. It is different. I'm the only living human being in this country who has built political movements on a table like this with a telephone, a piece of paper, and a pencil. I can build things. I can do things. My track record says that. Okay, so you're ready for it. It is the job that you want to do. Yes. I mean, look, it's clearly an enormous job. And the scale of the problems that we face, the institutional barriers that will get put before us, I do understand all of that.
8:26I'll tell you what, if we don't do this, then by 2035, I shudder to think what this country, genuinely what this country would be like. So we have to do this. But would you govern for all? Because you're not known as someone who brings people together. You're known as someone who chooses their issues, campaigns very hard on them, who's often predicted and made the political weather. But you're not a unifier. Doesn't a prime minister have to be that? Well, I think we've had too many unifiers. And look where consensus politics has got us. Look at the mess it's got us into. So you would govern as a divisive figure?
8:59You'd govern as a majority government. You'd govern on a radical manifesto that says the country needs fundamental reform. And of course, some people won't like it. But that's the way it is. Well, we'll talk about the ways that you would reform. It is the name of your party, but it's also what you want to do. And we'll talk about that in a moment. But I want to go back in time, first of all, because you're recording with us here in our studios in the heart of the city of London, a place you know well. Absolutely. You used to be a commodities trader, a metals trader. How formative was that experience to who you are today?
9:31Yeah, my father was a stockbroker for over half a century. My grandfather was a stockbroker for over half a century. So a lot of our family had worked, in fact, on both sides in the city. I was here in the 80s. I was here in that transformative period where, let's be frank, what was a bit of an old boys club through Big Bang became an international global centre. Deregulation. Yeah. The city in its heyday, if you like. Opening up, innovative. Thatcher's time. It was Thatcher's time. Yeah, it was. And you were a Thatcherite. Oh, absolutely. I mean, back then I was. But I mean, you know, bear in mind, we're talking 40 years ago there were a different set of economic problems we didn't have the social problems in thatcher's time that we've got now that that that's one aspect of life that's worse so i was here when yeah i mean kind of by the middle late 80s i mean it was the most exciting incredible and fun place to be we did have social problems though a lot of people got a lot of people got left behind in that period and some of them are supporting your party today we had mining communities there were mining communities who had a very bleak time.
10:36They, by the way, had an even bleaker time in John Major's years when we unnecessarily closed pits. But what I mean is we were all British. There was a much bigger sense of togetherness despite the economic division than there is in the country today. And this has been a theme of what you've been saying. Essentially, you look on migration as the source of all the country's ills. Well, that's a ridiculous thing to say. Well, you just pointed that we were more British in the period you're looking at. We have all sorts of problems. We have massive economic problems now, falling GDP per capita being perhaps top of the list, although very rarely talked about in Westminster.
11:12Yes, there were divisions then. You're absolutely right. But the social problems that we face today are worse. Look, the thing about the city was, you know, I can remember when the phone rang, that it occasionally was Paris, occasionally was Frankfurt, but much more likely to be Singapore or Santiago. This was a global trading centre, and I couldn't understand. The City of London is still a global trading centre. Far less than it was. And I couldn't understand the political obsession with our next-door neighbours that the little backyard market called Europe, oh, yes, it's a big market, blah, blah, blah, but it's 15 % of global GDP.
11:49So really, when I saw the Single European Act coming in in 1986, I thought, well, what are we doing? And then I saw the British establishment preparing for us to join the euro. 1990, we joined the exchange rate mechanism. And then had to crash out of it two years later, because the pegging to the Deutsche Mark didn't work. Which I predicted. Yep, I predicted it. The very night we joined, I was in a bar just over there saying this will never ever work. And this is what really got me into politics. I couldn't understand. What I saw in my day-to-day life here, and what I saw government doing were two very different things.
12:22So there's a direct link then between Brexit and your work in the city. here in the 1980s and 1990s. You came here at the age of 18, actually, straight out of school. When you look at Brexit today and what has happened in the last nine years, and you say that it's a poorer country today than it was, do you think it was worth having the referendum in 2016? Do I think freedom is worth it? Yes, absolutely. Do I think self-governance is worth it? Yes, of course I do. Do I think the ability to control your borders is worth having? Yes, I do. Now, have we exercised it? No. But that's why I asked the question, was it worth having it in 2016, the vote, given what we know now?
13:03Sterling has never recovered its value. Business investments, which was rising, has stalled since that. No, I mean, look, you know, even as Keir Starmer himself says, the deep-seated economic problems within the country predate Brexit, even predate the pandemic. And our response to it, you know, our productivity problems being perhaps just one very, very good example. I am angry that a conservative government with a whopping great majority didn't take advantage of it. And you think you could have done better if you were prime minister then? Miles better. Miles better. And I hate to see what's happening in the city.
13:39So then, if you were prime minister, and I can ask you this question because of the way the polls are looking right now. So today, if you became prime minister, would you rip up the treaty, the agreement that Keir Starmer made with the EU earlier this year? Well, the whole treaty is up for renegotiation anyway. It's a very poor treaty. We can do a lot better than that. We'll have to play hardball. If you play hardball, you have to mean it. That's the art of negotiation. I've heard this before. Yeah, but from whom? Well, I've heard this before from, okay, from conservatives, not from people in your party, but from people who believed in Brexit.
14:10They didn't believe in it. They never believed in it. They never believed in it. They never believed in it. Let's just go back to what you would do then. They belatedly accepted Brexit because if they hadn't, they would have faced political extinction. So if Brexit has never been done properly, you as Prime Minister would reshape our relationship with the EU? What do you mean? If Brexit hadn't happened, the reason I'm here... No, I mean, if you were Prime Minister, what would you do with the current alignment that we have with the EU on many areas? Well, look, we've been weak as hell. We've given in, we've given in, we've given in.
14:43we've expected favors in return we haven't got any it is a tough renegotiation and ultimately even though we've got huge economic problems they've got some pretty serious problems too in fact the french have an even bigger not just not just economic but constitutional crisis as well yeah giving away our fish for the next 12 years things like that completely outrageous total betrayal of what people voted for but the focus the focus and yes trade with europe's important of course it is but the real focus has to be what's happening internally within the uk economy so you would rip up the keir starmer agreement with you i think you're saying it needs it needs a rethink okay but all starmer has done all starmer has done is make concessions in return nigel barrett that means you would be taking an economic risk right now and that's and and you have been known all your life for taking risks right it's in your book everything in life's about risk and that life is about you pride yourself on being a gambler can i read these entrepreneurships about i love a gamble i love stacking up the odds and it's only been through taking enormous risks that the party and i have got to where we are today is that the kind of prime minister you would be a risk-taking prime minister we need far more risk-taking and by the way much more broad in the prime minister we need to encourage risk-taking in the economy you take a risk with the relationship with the nearest neighbor the big geography that puts this big market on our door you take a risk with that in the in the interest of a good relationship relationship you have to take risks to reshape it so how would you reshape it you'd end alignment is that what you're saying alignments catastrophic so you'd end it catastrophic moronic you'd end alignment with the EU is sending us is keeping us firmly hooked back in the 20th century not in the 21st it makes no sense at all from any angle is that a yes to the question I've asked you would end alignment with the 100 % plus okay so this is the point so you're still a risk taker you weren't your years as a trader in the city, and you're still going to govern in that way if you elected prime minister.
16:41I know you had two really traumatic experiences as a very young man. You were hit by a car and you ended up spending two months in hospital, and you were then diagnosed with testicular cancer when you were in your early twenties. I was. There's another, and I know you said that this is part of why you decided you needed to do things with your life. But there's a different way that that story could have gone, which is that you conserve your energy and you prioritize your family and you think of all that's close to you. Instead, you had two failed marriages and - It's called living. You went - It's called living.
17:19And you campaigned around the country. Look, I could be a boring so-and-so like most people in politics. I'm not. I've lived. I've had some huge successes. I've had some massive failures. I'm 61. I've got a vast experience of life. I've seen the good times. I've seen the bad times. I've seen success. I've seen failure. I think that makes me better qualified to be a leader than those that have lived steady, what I might describe as boring lives. So what have been your big failures? Well, I've made mistakes personally, obviously. I've had successes too, but I've made mistakes financially. Look, I've lived the big dipper of life, but I've in the end been very lucky.
18:00I'm still here. I'm still alive, despite a couple of goes at not being. I think that's given me a couple of things. Number one, a pretty rounded life. And number two, I'm not actually frightened of anything. And that, I think, is a very, very valuable asset, given what I may well be facing in two or three years' time. So let's talk about your political instincts then. Can you take those headphones? Because I want to play you something that you said at CPAC, the big conservative political conference, earlier on this year. You've been close to the American right for a long time, so you go to these conferences, and this is what you said in February 2025.
18:41Suddenly, post-November 5th, America is optimistic. It's upbeat. It's the beginning of the golden age in America. In fact, in many ways, what we're fighting for is a very similar agenda to the one that you've just fought for and the one that you have just succeeded with. You're going to make America great again and we in turn will make Britain great again. Thank you. Well, hang on. Wait for my question, which is that you use these words, make Britain great again. And I know that you have a sense of history. And I know the past is important to you. And fun. And fun. Sense of fun. Sense of fun. Say Make Britain Great Again to an American audience who just elected a president on Make America Great Again is quite funny.
19:30So you didn't mean it? Of course I meant it. But you know. That's what I understand. What you mean by it. Because you have got a sense of history. I know your grandparents talked to you a lot about the past. I do. Your grandfather had been wounded in the First World War. That's true. What story did they tell you about Britain's past? What is it that you think of when you think of when Britain was great? We had a stable society. We had belief, things that bound us, perhaps religion being one of them. And by the way, government can't force people to believe, but there was a shared sense of religion.
20:03Are you a man of faith? Community, yes. I mean, I have to say, struggling a bit. Do you go to church? Well, of course. I'm an Anglican. It's been a catastrophe for 25 years. What, the Church of England? Oh, terrible. Absolutely awful. So you believe, but there's no church that you feel like attending? Well, if I was a more regular church goer, I probably would have defected to the Catholics. But you haven't. I probably would have done it. I haven't. I haven't. I've thought about it a couple of times. No, I think a sense of community, a sense of family. I mean, frankly, you know, the values around the meaning of family, community, country, those things were much stronger in years that have gone by.
20:41Which years? Which is the decade you're looking at? That's what I'm curious about. When you say the words, when Britain was great, what is in your mind? Which is the decade? Britain was great imperially. Britain was great industrially. Britain was great in terms of innovation. Britain was great in terms, actually, in many ways, I think of taking some very good things to large parts of the world. Britain was great in leaving behind some amazing legacies. Australia, New Zealand, Singapore. Those are issues. I'm wondering about what period. When you look to the past, are you thinking about the 1980s and the period you were in the city?
21:15Or are you thinking about the First World War and Britain as a great power? I think really what we did since 1688, I think we were actually fortunate to have our civil war. But we're not going to go back to the 17th century, are we? I've just given you an answer. As a political leader, when you think of when you want Britain to go back to, because you want to make Britain great again, what are you looking to as a model? I don't want Britain to go back anywhere. I want Britain to go forwards and that's really the point and it's one of the reasons why you know I've been very critical of the government of the Bank of England very critical of much of our economic policy I think we are stuck in a rut I think we're stuck with an old out of touch globalist mindset about so many things no no no you can respect your traditions you can respect your past you can have a sense and a feeling of what history is I'm not going back anywhere I want us to be in the 21st century.
22:09We're not there. We're literally, here we are sitting, I mean, I can see St. Paul's as I'm talking to you. We're in the middle of the city of London. We have a revolution going on, an economic, a money revolution going on with digital assets, cryptocurrency. It's real. It's growing very, very quickly. And what's happening here? Nothing. Literally nothing. These are untested ideas in government, aren't they? I know you were talking the other day about wanting to have a national cryptocurrency reserve. I'm really sorry. We don't know what that looks like. No, because we're years and years behind the rest of the world.
22:42Go to Miami. Go to Miami. Fly to Miami tonight. And you tomorrow morning can go out and buy everything from a Starbucks coffee to a Ferrari with a card that you've loaded up from an ATM in the street with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other currencies. And the world is changing, and we're not changing. So if you think the Bank of England is… And if you think about it, there's one more point. Think about it. Actually, we have been great innovators. You know, whether it's the Industrial Revolution, whether it's the nuclear energy industry, which we led the world in just a few decades ago, we're very, very inventive.
23:20We're very creative. We're naturally a very entrepreneurial country. I just believe we've lost a sense of all of that. So the Bank of England, if you think they're so out of step with where their focus… Should be, in your view. Would you revoke their independence as prime minister? Well, I think the bigger mistake was taking away banking regulation from an organisation that had been doing it since 1694. Gave it to a bunch of tick box bureaucrats down in Canary Wharf. Do you mean the Financial Conduct Authority? Yeah, look what I... So would you disband that? They are useless. They are utterly useless.
23:54We need a complete... Would you do away with them? We need a radical rethink of what they are, what they're for, who they serve, what their purpose is. Isn't the truth, though, it's not a question of who does the regulation. I think you instinctively don't like regulation or red tape. You see it as a hindrance. And other people might see it as the things that protect us from wrongdoing or mistakes. Actually, you're wrong. You're wrong because my argument with crypto, with digital assets, is we need a regulated market. Again, you go back there to the medieval times. It was all about having a basic framework of rules that consumers and market users can trust.
24:32So I'm not against regulation. I'm not a complete, you know, laissez-faire merchant. But you have to get that balance right. But I think you are saying, as Prime Minister, you are signaling that you'd be prepared to do away with the Financial Conduct Authority, you would give those powers back to the Bank of England? I think we need a complete radical rethink, yes, on many of these things. And the FCA has been a total failure. Would you sack Andrew Bailey as government of the Bank of England? I was debanked. I was rejected by 10 other banks. I was literally being frozen out of the financial system to the point I might have had to leave the country, which indeed is what they wanted.
25:11And that became a big issue. And you got your accounts back. Well, luckily, I'm big enough and ugly enough to fight my own corner. But there are thousands of people out there who've been debanked because of excessive rules on anti-money laundering directives, or whatever else it may be, who've got no voice for themselves. And what about the governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey? Well, he's a nice enough bloke. Would he keep his job if you were Prime Minister? Well, he's had a good run. We might find someone new. Really? He's had a good run. So you are signaling you'd be prepared to sack him.
25:44I'm not signaling anything. I'm just saying. This is shades of President Trump and the Federal Reserve. If Andrew Bailey wants to get with the 21st century. And by the way, there's one encouraging thing. Because I went to see him last month. He'd just put a limit on the number of stable coins any individual can hold. I said, Andrew, this is ridiculous. This is dinosaur-like. Within a week, he'd changed it. So maybe he was listening. But the Bank of England, the British government, the regulator, whatever shape that takes, they've all got to understand the world is changing, has changed very, very rapidly.
Read the full transcript
26:18Okay. So the world has changed, not just the financial world, the world more broadly. And if you were prime minister, you'd have to have opinions and take advice and formulate policy on a whole host of areas, which you're not known for talking about. such as social care how you'd fill vacancies in the social care sector but and national security and there are people in the political establishment labor figures conservative figures including boris johnson who think that you and your party are soft on russia oh poor old boris i feel sorry for him really i guess if you've failed that much you have to lash out at somebody look i mean this but i mean this is of course politics and narratives isn't it you know just because 14 years 13 years ago i said in an interview i thought putin was a very effective political operator but not a nice human being suddenly you're a putin supporter funny enough the year after i said that the queen met him now whether she was seen to be a collaborator i don't know i think it's utterly ridiculous come from the fact that you've said things in the past like no you think nate how do you know what i'm going to say you've you've suggested that nato provoked Putin into invading Ukraine.
27:28The endless eastward expansion of NATO and the European Union. And Kissinger warned about this years ago. We shouldn't have done it. But that's in the past. We did it. Putin's invaded. I was really hoping that Trump could bring Putin to heel and that some kind of compromise could be struck, as it's just been recently struck with Gaza and Israel. Clearly, that is not going to happen. Obviously, Putin is a very bad dude. Simple. Why hasn't President Trump put more pressure on him? Oh, he's putting huge pressure on. He's putting pressure on India. He's putting pressure on. What about Putin himself?
28:02I think Trump feels that Putin is made a fool of him. And clearly Putin is not a rational man. He wants to come to a logical deal. So the idea that I'm soft on this is just nonsense. Well, what put fire under the accusations was very recently when the former leader of your party in Wales, Nathan Gill, pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery, taking money from someone described as a pawn of the Russian secret services. Yeah, appalling. Appalling. And he would go to prison for a long time. At least I hope he does. He was the leader of your past in Wales. For three weeks he was. Yeah, but hang on.
28:33For three weeks he was. He's been involved with UKIP, your former party. He was involved with Brexit. I've known him. The Brexit party, your former party. He's been at your side for years. I've known him for 25 years. he was unbelievably you perhaps don't know this a bishop in the mormon church i mean god fearing to a level i've almost never met i've been so uncorrupted i thought he wouldn't even drink coffee and there he was taking money to ask questions appalling is it just one bad apple without any shadow of a doubt you can assure voters that there is no one else like nathan Gill in reforms ranks.
29:12If I even suspected it, it wouldn't be let through the door. And you're sure that no one else has taken money from those kinds of Russian sources? I'm sure that my mother's not a mass murderer. I'm as sure as that. I mean, how can you be sure of anything in life? The question itself is a stupid question. You know that and I know that. I believe 100 % with all my heart there's nobody else. Can I just quickly then understand your instincts on Russia a bit more fully with a few scenarios? So if you were prime minister and NATO jets entered, Russian jets entered NATO airspace, where do you stand on that?
29:50Do you think they should be? Got to shoot them down. No questions. Whatever that does, however much that inflames tensions. Russia needs to be taught a lesson. Listen, love, you're trying ever so hard. I'm the only person in the world, I think, that stood up in the European Parliament in 2014. And do you know what I said? There will be a war in Ukraine. It's coming. I'm the only person that got it right. I might have made one comment once, 13 years ago, that said I admired him as a political operator, but not as a human being, and I'd never live in Russia, period. Okay. Frozen assets, Russian frozen assets, should be used to help fight the war in Ukraine?
30:25You can go on as long as you like. I've made the position perfectly clear. No, what's the answer to that? They would be frozen assets. They're in Belgium. So they should be used. You better ask the Belgian government. But clearly, if they're there through illegal means, they should be used. So your instincts as British Prime Minister... My instinct is, I think Putin's a really bad bloke. And you can sit me here for an hour, you're going to get nowhere. You'd put British troops on the ground in post-war Ukraine after a ceasefire. I'd be very cautious about doing that. Might put a UN force. Would I put the British army badged as a British army?
30:56Be deeply, deeply thoughtful about that. Because you'd be worried about them being a target for the Russians? I'd be deeply thoughtful about doing that. And it wouldn't be a clever thing to do. You see, exactly that kind of thing is what gives, hearing something caveated in that way, is what gives Russia courage. You are quite right. I'm not a warmonger. Rather like President Trump, I'm not a warmonger. Those that went before have been persistent warmongers. I'm not. I happen to think that what the UN did in Korea was remarkable and still over 70 years on has held. And South Korea has become just, I mean, the most incredible country, which, by the way, does things far better than we do in terms of building nuclear energy and much else.
31:39That would be the right way to go forward.
31:49In a world that never stands still, we're there to help you act with conviction. At HSBC, we connect the people, ideas, and capital to unlock growth, backing your ambitions at every stage. So when you're planning for the next generation, strengthening your portfolio, or expanding into new markets, we're there, bringing over 160 years of experience to help you move forward. HSBC, opening up a world of opportunity.
32:23yourself repeating the same actions. Buying the dip, manually sweeping idle cash, putting on a hedge. On public, you can now create AI agents that handle all these tasks on your behalf. Just describe what you want to do in plain English. Like, if the VIX hits 25, buy a put option on the S &P 500. Or, if my cash balance goes above$20 ,000, move the excess into my direct index. You approve of the workflow and your agent handles the rest. Monitoring the market, watching for your conditions, and executing your strategies exactly as defined. An investing platform driven by your intent, not just your clicks.
33:00You can also get full read and write access to your account via the public API. Go to public.com slash market and fund your account in five minutes or less. That's public.com slash market. Paid for by Public Investing. Brokered services by Open to the Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC. Advisory services by Public Advisors, LLC, SEC Registered Advisor. Complete disclosures available at public.com slash disclosures. The thing about AI for business, it may not automatically fit the way your business works. At IBM, we've seen this firsthand. But by embedding AI across HR, IT, and procurement processes, we've reduced costs by millions, slash repetitive tasks, and freed thousands of hours for strategic work.
33:47Now we're helping companies get smarter by putting AI where it actually pays deep in the work that moves the business. Let's create smarter business, IBM.
34:10So let's talk about areas then where your agenda, as you said in that clip we heard a moment ago, where your agenda is similar to the Trump administration's, for example, on migration. Yeah. Both your party and President Trump's Republicans feel very strongly about that. What he's done is amazing. So would you want ICE-style raids taking place here to deport the 600 ,000 people in five years that you want to deport? I think it's really, I think, let's see, this is, again, you know, I was with Tom Homan, who was his border czar, a few weeks ago, to try and find out what's really going on in America.
34:43It's really interesting. Border crossings are down 97 % since Trump came to power. but the interesting thing is about deportations so they have a thousand ice squads out around america knocking on doors saying you're here illegally and you've got two choices number one you can go we'll fund your return we'll give you a few dollars we'll say to you that you can legally if you want apply for a skills visa in the years to come to come back to america and if we you think you're going to be a productive member of the economy and of society, we'll let you in. Is that what you want? The ICE raids are done by masked armed men who jump out of vehicles, grab people in the street, and go into workplaces.
35:30Well, that's your media narrative. I've just told you what's happening. And what is really interesting... They do have masks, don't they? And guns. And they do go into workplaces. Well, as I mean, I would hope... And homes. If they didn't have guns, they'd be mad. Would you want that here? That's really... Because this interview is about what you would do as prime minister. Do you know how many people have voluntarily left America in eight months? 1.6 million it is truly remarkable 1.6 million people have peacefully with incentives not just to leave but potential i want to understand potential what lessons you're taking for the uk what i'm learning is if you do things well and do things properly it can be highly effective so is that a yes to ice style raids in the uk it's look we're not america we'll do it our way not the america so what is that does our way involve the army our way will involve border force doing the job that they would so desperately like to do that's the job they do now how would it be different would you use the army no at the moment border force are a taxi service and they hate it so would you use the army they absolutely hate doing what they're doing which is why so many people resign sad saving people essentially at in the channel and bringing them to shore You may see it that way.
36:46Is that what you mean by the taxi? No, that's what I mean. I think that's what you're referring to when you say the taxi service. French Navy, bring them across. French Navy, bring them across. Escort them all the way. Border force, pick them up. Bring them in. They chuck their passports in Bersi. They chuck their phones in Bersi. And we're supposed to just put up with it. I think what's really important is to understand how, because the numbers you've said you would deport are really significant, 600 ,000 over five years, which is why I'm interested in the methods. Look, I think the truth is that most people who are caught, who are in Britain illegally, if we do it nicely and do it properly, will accept we have to go.
37:19It's about 9 ,000 a year currently. And to meet your target, you'd be increasing that by 10 times. Do you think you can? I think we can. Of course, theory, reality, being in government, I get all of that. I understand all of that. Is it doable? Yes. But there is a very important message here. Very, I mean, in most countries in the world, if you enter illegally, you are chucked in prison. Literally, in a majority of countries in the world, illegal entry means immediate imprisonment. So is that what you do? People would arrive and they would be put in prison immediately, detained and deport? Well, that's what you, I didn't say it.
37:57You said it. That's fine. What do you say? You said it. That's fine. I'm not playing games. I'm not playing games. People would be detained and deported. Dead simple. In prison? There are plenty of ex-military bases we can keep them. But the point, look, You know, it's very interesting. Australia had all this. In 2012, they stopped it within a fortnight. Within a fortnight, no one came illegally. You know why? They were towed back to Indonesia. It can be done. It's about political will. It's about being tough for a short period of time. It can be done. It can be done. You've got a big pledge also to cut significant amounts of government waste.
38:30I know you're rethinking your economic plans, but there is a figure. Not the broad principles. Not the broad principles. Well, what about the amounts? It says in this, from last year that you would cut waste by the tune, government waste, to save£50 billion a year. Is that still the plan? That was about, yeah, actually, we'd probably go further than that. You'd get more than£50 billion a year. Yeah, well, I mean, you know, Malay and Argentina have shown that you can do it, but you have to work out doing it, what the cost of that is. Elon Musk discovered that he couldn't cut nearly as much as he hoped to.
39:00Initially, he said$2 trillion. I mean, to be fair, Malay has. He had to halve that, and then it went right. To be fair, Malay has. To be fair, Malay has. But look, we're testbedding this in the local councils that we won last May, where we've cut about half a billion so far. You know, it's a very good start in six months. What happens if you are elected to government and you're prime minister and you find out that you can't find the savings you want? You're in the process of rethinking your economic policies. You have all kinds of tax-cutting plans, which are now having to be rethought. Is that because they were unworkable?
39:33Net zero, 30 billion saved. Cutbacks in civil service, tens of billions saved. But of course, the big one, the big one, and the thing that I've got to think out far more fully, is the whole explosion of disability payments. And you are in the midst of having serious things. What I want to ask you is that people said about your plans to spend and to tax cuts that they were unworkable and they were fantasy economics. and the fact that you're having to rethink them suggests that they were right. I suspect what we come back with will be a lot more radical than what you saw there. More radical in which way?
40:12More tax cuts or more security? Well, as I said to you before I came and did this, I'm going to be laying out some economic stuff between now and the budget in terms of speeches. What is for certain? I tell you what is for certain with the economy. We touched on this right at the beginning. We touched on this place in the 80s, but we could go more broadly across the country in the 80s. There was an attitudinal change towards work, towards having a go, towards risk, which I'm pro. I'm very pro risk. I'm very pro individuals taking risk. I don't believe we should protect people from themselves. We should allow them to go out and have a go.
40:48We need an attitudinal change towards success, towards money, towards business, towards tax and incentives. and this is stuff that you can't necessarily write in a manifesto. Well, you're going to have to though, aren't you? No, you can't. You can't. Attitudinal stuff. You cannot write. This one was called a contract and there were promises in it that don't stand anymore. You've been at the BBC all your life. I don't think you understand what I'm saying. I'm talking about attitudinal change within society. You can't put any of that in manifestos. It's about a buzz. It's about a vibe. It's about how a country feels And one of the reasons, and you played that tape to me earlier, what is interesting about Trump's America, and there are bits of it you can dislike or like or whatever, what is interesting about Trump's America is a lot more people in America are having a go.
41:41They're setting up companies. They're borrowing money. They're taking risks. We need to get to that place. And as I say, you can't put it in a piece of paper. And one thing I'm certain of - So you're going to have to inspire people, aren't you? That's right. That's exactly right. Which takes me back to where I started, that are you going to be someone who brings people together? Because you're known for turning the fire on people. You're not known for being someone who appeals right across the country and has a common message everyone can get behind. I think that's fair. So give me an inspirational message.
42:10What is great about Britain today? Even in my time, even in my time in the European Parliament, where perhaps I achieved some level of infamy, was I turning my fire on people? No, I was just teasing them. I was just teasing them. they were turning their fire on me i mean we just had a party conference season where the levels of insightful abuse that have come from starmer and his cabinet are off the scale i've never behaved like that not with anybody i might have strong opinions i might express what i believe in strongly what i'm against very strongly i don't think if you look through my my political career that you'll find personal invective you'll find teasing and not much more than that.
42:48We have to, we have to have a vibe, a buzz that says to young people, setting up businesses, taking risk, even having failures. Even having failures along the way is a good thing, not a bad thing. And you know something, I might succeed, I might fail. I accept that. Yeah, but if you don't succeed as prime minister, it's not the same as your personal success. that's about the fortunes of the country that are riding on that. So you're going to need more than a vibe. Well, I think the two are the same thing. We're in that much trouble. We're in that much trouble. Well, you as one man and the vibe you create could save the country.
43:28There's a whole movement here now. There's a whole movement here now. And you've seen, and I'm sitting talking to you. I don't do many interviews these days. I allow others to go and do it. There's a much broader range of talent, you know, that has come on the scene for the party. We're building a mass membership very rapidly. You see, I know you're a risk taker, but I think the moment of real risk that exists for your party right now is that you've had this sustained period where you've been rising in the opinion polls while you've been making big promises on spending, on big tax cuts. And now you're at a point where you're having to rethink your economic policy and it's probably going to be much more like the realities that other parties face.
44:10We're going to make bigger promises. That's not the signals that people in your party are setting out. They're saying you're going to have a fully costed manifesto. We're having a full rethink of everything. You're facing the same realities that other parties do. Well, look, we're in government now. Maybe you're not special. We're in government now. We're in government now in the counties. In local government. We're going to do our damnedest to be in government in Wales next May. We may or may not succeed, but we're going to do our damnedest. And we'll have to be judged by what we do. I accept that.
44:34So is Donald Trump a role model for you, for government? in terms of standing up for the national interest above all else yes in terms of keeping promises that he made to the electorate yes there are many other areas in which we might disagree or might do things which are the areas that you disagree there are other areas you might disagree social policy etc we might see things differently but the the fundamentalism of trump is you tell the electorate i'm going to do x and you actually do it and that's what he's doing and you know and we might look at i mean look you know you and i could sit over a cup of tea and talk about some of the tariff machinations and say to ourselves what the hell is going on and we could you know go back to the 30s and think about tariffs and damage it's done to the economy etc do you think he's damaging the american it's irrelevant it's irrelevant but you don't like no no no no listen to me it's irrelevant he promised the american public he'd use tariffs as a weapon he's doing it.
45:34So is he, to a large extent, restoring faith in the democratic system? Yes. And we will have to, if we succeed, and there's a long way to go, as I said to you earlier, we're halfway through the marathon. If we succeed, we must do the same. Because one of the reasons why reform is doing so well is there is a complete breakdown of trust. No one believes a blooming thing the other parties say. I think you could be part of that breakdown of trust because this document, which said, our contract with you. It's a contract with the voters. It's the document you stood on last year. I didn't write it. I inherited it, to be fair.
46:07You were the party leader standing on the front. Your face is right there on the front. I came in after it was published, to be fair. And we changed the front page. But look, are the principles right within it? Yes. Can we? Yeah, but there are numbers in it. It's put forward as a contract. You're talking about a breakdown of trust. And you've been part of a breakdown of trust, haven't you? seen what the Tory... Have you seen what the Conservatives have done? This is your interview. Hang on a sec. This is your interview. If you complain about a breakdown of trust, don't you have to stick to your promises?
46:35No, I stick to, I would like nobody in Britain to pay income tax until they earn£20 ,000 a year. And when do you think you'd be able to deliver that in government? I will answer that over the course of the next few weeks. Not today, as I told you before I came on here. But do I want to honour that? Yes. Is it realistic immediately we're in government? No. And those circumstances have changed. Are the principles aspirations and even the numbers that are set out there wrong no they're not they're right but it's all about getting things in the right order Nigel Farage this is the Bloomberg weekend interview I wondered if you get one these days because you are more in demand than ever before according to your team you're meeting presidents prime ministers and kings from the Middle East these days?
47:23I wouldn't comment on that particularly, but... Kings from the Middle East. Oh, I can't remember. And if I did, I wouldn't tell you. I wouldn't tell you. I wouldn't. Do you know why? Is this inaccurate that you're meeting presidents, prime ministers and kings from the Middle East? Do you know what? One of the reasons I've survived so long in public life is I'm very discreet. And, you know, if I have private meetings with people, I never discuss it. It's one of your senior supporters and donors who said this. Well, I don't know who he is or she is, but... Nick Candy. Well, I wouldn't comment on it.
47:48All right. I wouldn't comment on it. I don't comment on things like that. And people trust me because of that. I keep confidences. But you are in circles you haven't been in before. That's fair. That's fair. I mean, that is fair. Yeah. I think a lot of people around the world think we are going to win the next election just because they're people that like this country, see what a mess it's got itself into. See, it's a long haul because technically it's not due for another four years. And the current government has a large majority. Do you think you can sustain the level of engagement you'd need to still be in this position in four years' time.
48:23You're not really known for... You stuck at the idea of wanting to be out of the European Union, but you've had a number of different parties over the years. I stuck at it more than anybody. I've been doing this since 1993. Did I finally retire on the 31st of January 2020? Yes, I did. That was it. I was done with it. I came back into politics last year. It was probably the toughest decision of my life. you know i turned 60 last year life pretty settled some good jobs a company being quite successful in a variety of areas first couple of grandkids born you know life was pretty good so i knew i was making a big sacrifice coming back into it and i'm determined to make it a success and i think i've been very you know we talk about persistent but i've generally been pretty consistent in the kind of values and views and beliefs that I've had and I can I sustain it for four years yep it's a long haul but yeah can the government sustain it for four years I think very unlikely and I think you know just as you've seen reform take over the center right of British politics I think there's a massive change on the left about to come and I think that I think that the government will be forced by 27 into a genuine austerity budget.
49:47I mean, a real austerity budget. Just the markets, you know, are going to demand that. And I suspect at that moment, the left of British politics splits in a very, very dramatic way. And I think the growth of the Greens, the Corbynites, the sort of urban left of politics, those who vote on Gaza and religion more than British issues, all of those things, I think they will struggle to see out 27. That's why you think there'll be a general election then? I do, yeah. Okay. I want to know what sustains you. Is it true you read constantly? I do read a lot. Yeah, I do read a lot. What are you reading at the moment?
50:28Well, the last book I read was Mr. Belfort's Poodle, which was about the constitutional crisis between the Commons and the Lords. In the early 20th century? Yeah, the principles are exactly the same. And by the way, the Salisbury Convention has been there since 1911. Why were you interested in that? Because say we get elected on a manifesto to say we're going to do X, Y, and Z. What if the House of Lords were to block us? What if the Civil Service were to block us? These are all the things that we're thinking and going through at the moment. You're going back 100 years to try and find the answers to that.
50:56Principles don't change over centuries. What else are you reading? Over centuries, principles don't change. I heard you like poetry. Yeah, I like a little bit of poetry. I wouldn't say hugely. I read, I like biography, I like history. My current book, which I've really barely started, is written by the former Prime Minister of Armenia. And it's about how small states can survive in a big wide world. Sarkhasan is his name. So everything you're reading is kind of part of your homework, if you like, for government. Is that the case? What do you do to actually put your head in a different place? Yeah, I mean, I like to go out and walk when I get time.
51:31I like to fish. I like a day at the races. I like the odd day at the cricket. There are things I enjoy doing. No, the truth is, I mean, look, we are living in a 24-7 media environment. I am a political entrepreneur. Even though I'm trying to shed responsibilities of the party for the moment, I'm still the main entry point for most new people that want to give money or stand as candidates. and so most of my life these days believe it or not is focusing on what's beneath the bonnet focusing on the structure of the party focusing on the funding of the party focusing on making sure that across all the regions of the united kingdom we're prepared and i just sort of say this to you sort of towards the end but i don't think anyone's yet really understood next may may the 6th next year is the British equivalent of the midterms in America.
52:28These are elections of a magnitude and a significance that almost nobody yet understands. To close, I want to go back to where I began and the kind of person you're known for and the kind of person you'd have to be if you're to be a great prime minister. What would you say to someone who worries that you might deport their grandmother or you might not be a leader for them because they are not white or they're muslim what would you say to them there are people who think that give me a message for them i would say the questions beneath you but i would also say this if you the only people that call me racist tend to be called jocasta and have gone tost mary's ascot and be upper middle class and very snobby is that your answer to someone who'd be worried about you as a prime minister What is your message of unity?
53:14Do you have one? Our message for unity is if you're in this country legally, whether you've been here for one generation or 150 generations, if you're paying your taxes, obeying the law, being part of our community, recognising there is commonality between all of us, whilst we're different, things that we share, you're incredibly welcome. But are we here to be the dumping ground of the world? Are we here to be the food bank of the world? Are we here to have uncontrolled mass illegal immigration, changing our culture, endangering women on our streets? Now on that, we're going to get really, really tough.
53:51And I think you'll be very, very surprised how many people from all different backgrounds of religions from all over the world support that message and want that as the country that they've either been born into or chosen to live in. Nigel Farage, thank you. Thank you.
54:11And that's The Michelle Hussain Show for this week. To make sure you never miss an episode, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And if you want to leave us a comment while you're there, I'm told that's a good thing. If you'd like to see my conversation with Nigel Farage, you'll find the video online. And at bloomberg.com slash weekend, you'll find the written version of this interview with a portrait of Nigel Farage and my notes, why I asked what I did and the context around it. The Michal Hussein Show is produced by Jessica Beck and Chris Martlew. Guest booking by Dave Warren. Social media by Alex Morgan.
54:50Our sound engineers are Blake Maples and Kyle Murdoch. Our video editors are Laura Francis and Toby Babalola. Our executive producer is Louisa Lewis. Brendan Francis Newnham is editorial director of audio and special projects for Bloomberg Weekend. Catherine Bell is the executive editor of Weekend. Our music is composed by Bart Warshaw, and we'd also like to thank Will Shaw, Alana Susnow, Victoria Wakeley, Adam Blenford, Summer Sadi, and Sage Bauman. And thank you for listening. Come back next weekend.
55:36Healthcare doesn't always work great. If you've ever waited on a refill or couldn't schedule an appointment, you get it. That's the kind of stuff Optum is changing. They're using data and technology to integrate patient care, pharmacy, and everything else. So healthcare is connected, not complicated. What's that look like? cheaper prescriptions that are easier to get, and care that looks at the whole person how you need it. Optum is helping make healthcare work as one for everyone. Learn more at business.optum.com. At Venture Global, we think about what can be done, not what's usually done. Through innovation, Venture Global is not only building some of the largest energy facilities in the world right here in the United States, but delivering American energy at a fraction of the cost and a fraction of the time.
56:25So while others are busy talking, we're busy building. That's Venture Global. That's unstoppable energy. As industries evolve faster than ever, companies need an environment that accelerates strategic growth, and Michigan delivers on that promise. From emerging startups to global enterprises, Michigan offers what executives value most, a resilient, innovative ecosystem, diverse communities that attract top talent, and a quality of life that supports work-life balance. With our unified Team Michigan approach, businesses scale faster and compete at the highest level. Michigan, pure opportunity. Seize your opportunity at michiganbusiness.org.
From the publisher
After successfully pushing for Brexit, political disruptor Nigel Farage announced his retirement. Last year, he returned to frontline politics as the leader of Reform UK, an insurgent party that’s never held national power but is now polling ahead of Labour and the Conservatives. Mishal speaks with Farage about dismantling consensus politics, Britain’s future relationship with the European Union and what he thinks Donald Trump is getting right.
4:02 - “We’ve not had enough change”
7:10 - Working in the City of London in the 1980s
11:46 Alignment with the European Union
13:33 “Everything in life’s about risk”
16:24 “Make Britain Great Again”
21:00 The Bank of England
25:19 “Putin is a very bad dude”
30:15 Immigration and ICE raids
35:12 Economic plans
46:14 Reading to prepare for government
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS
You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview
Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net
Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
