Recently, I found myself hopping onto a train to a party. Nothing inherently unusual about this. I am, after all, a woman in my early twenties with nights to kill, drinks to down and men to meet, but this was no ordinary party, and I was meeting no ordinary man. The train I took was from London to Clacton: I was going to Reform’s election night party.

The atmosphere upon entering was filled with excitement, bordering on glee. Nigel Farage was en route, and after so many failed attempts to enter parliament, his colleagues and supporters weren’t just hoping for a victory on the Essex coast, but positively expecting one. 

I soon found myself chatting with a mix of people, gathering their thoughts and feelings on the soon-to-be Clacton MP. A mixed and jovial bunch, not unlike the man himself, but what was most interesting was their age range. 

The stereotype of the average Reform voter, like the Brexiteers before them, is of a gruff old boomer who hates avocado toast almost as much as they dislike Brussels, but this election has witnessed an upswing in the number of young voters drawn to Farage’s aura. But though it may have caught some of London’s pundit class off guard, it is unsurprising that Farage has been able to capture the love of many young as well as old Britons. The moment he enters the room it lights up, and all around him people are beaming, excited, and desperate to talk to him. 

… unlike most politicians, his supporters don’t back him begrudgingly in the knowledge that he is a powerful means to an end

Now, of course Farage’s supporters are passionate about both him and his causes. But unlike most politicians, his supporters don’t back him begrudgingly in the knowledge that he is a powerful means to an end. And for the average Reform voter, he isn’t simply the lesser of two evils to be endured. People vote for Nigel Farage because they genuinely like him. 

It’s something that became clearer as the night progressed. He is loved and admired by those around him. Perhaps he is not a man of the people — whoever is? — but he is certainly a man of many people who feel they have been repeatedly overlooked. To them, he exudes so much of what they want: genuine warmth towards and unapologetic love for his country and countrymen. 

The election party is not just Nigel and his team, but is packed with Clacton locals who had turned out to campaign for Reform. And, despite the impending magnitude of the coming victory, he makes time for everyone, talking, joking, and grinning with delight as he does so. If it is affected, he is a very fine actor. 

One of the older locals tells me how happy he is for his town. “Nothing exciting ever happens in Clacton — I’m so glad he’s won,” he says, and it’s an energy that fills the room.

On the other side of the age scale, another girl in her early twenties tells me: “Young people like Nigel because he’s real. What you see is what you get. He’s passionate and serious about what he does, but isn’t afraid to be funny or a little self-deprecating.”

This strategy has proven effective. Over the last four weeks, ever since coming out of retirement, Farage has used social media to his advantage in a way other parties have been unable to fully comprehend, with videos pulling in millions of views. From quirky Eminem music edits to light-hearted TikTok videos mocking his “milkshake” attack or admiring the aesthetics of a melon stand, Farage’s team have made an obvious effort to appeal to the younger generation. It may not have earned him a large proportion of younger voters yet. But with Reform the joint top party for 16 to 17-year-old boys, it could be a winning long-term strategy.

The contrast with the two main parties is stark. Both of them appear to be ten years behind what Gen Z find painfully dated. From Starmer’s stale “centrist dad” persona to Sunak’s desperation to appear relatable — it is clear why neither have particularly passionate youth support. Farage, on the other hand, has what the kids call “rizz” — a panache, a spirit that cannot be taught, and that one either has or does not have.

Strangely, Farage’s popularity is only really comparable to another older chap who surprised everyone with his pull among the young: former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. But while Corbyn’s appeal was partly down to his lack of bombast — his strange anti-charisma — Farage has it in spades.

Farage understands it isn’t just the older generation concerned about immigration failures and high taxes, and that not all of them — indeed, likely not even most of them — are nation-hating wokes who blindly support left wing politics. What’s more, crucially, unlike the Tories, he seems keen to win them, rather than push them away in order to shore up the grey vote. To build a long term movement that isn’t just a protest, you need to harness the enthusiasm, idealism and ambition of youth.

Among his supporters and colleagues, it is clear that to know Nigel is to love him. But as a man who has lost as well as gained friends, he will have to work to maintain and extend his appeal.