This week in the world of politics: Nigel Farage is basking in the spotlight, Polly Billington gives us a backbench influencing masterclass & Chris Philp is stuck in party purgatory.
All here in this week's Who's Top Who's Not.
Top: Nigel Farage MP
It’s a good job Farage relishes the spotlight, because he’s getting a lot of it.
Buoyed by his local election success and with a general election years away, Farage is left to announce whatever policies he likes – consequence-free. Two-child benefit cap? Scrap it! Winter fuel allowance? Reverse the cuts!
Calling for a reversal of unpopular policies is weirdly proving successful for Nigel, and more importantly, it forces the main parties to challenge him. However, Starmer can say Farage’s policies are “fantasy” until he’s blue in the face – but until Starmer can get those polling numbers up and earn back some credibility, he’s just acting as free press for Farage. Same goes for Badenoch, but…has anyone heard from her recently?
It almost goes without saying at this point but tackling the Reform “problem” is the number one challenge facing Labour and the Conservatives. As long as the public want things to change, Reform will continue to be an unstoppable political force. Better get a wiggle on with changing things then…
Middle: Polly Billington MP
The Labour Cabinet has faced criticism in the past for not listening to its backbenchers, leaving some MPs feeling frustrated that they aren’t able to make the change that they want to make.
With all the cards in the hands of Ministers, how can an MP really keep the party accountable? Well MPs, take notes from Polly Billington!
Earlier this week she appeared on BBC's World at One to emphasise the importance of the government's commitment to spending £6.6 billion on energy efficiency measures and the Warm Homes Plan. Billington argued that such investments should be considered capital infrastructure, thus protected from budget cuts. To quote Politico: “that’s backbench speak for don’t you dare touch that [spending commitment]”
With the doom and gloom of the upcoming spending review descending on Westminster, backbenchers are going to have to be scrappy to ensure important spending commitments aren’t sacrificed at the altar of fiscal rules. Even if she can’t stop the government cutting funding for energy efficiency, she’s framed a potential cut as a u-turn, making the cut less likely to go ahead. Cue MPs falling over themselves to get a World at One spot…
Not: Chris Philp MP
Philp is the latest victim to be sucked up into the power vacuum left by a dysfunctional Conservative Party. A former government Minister and now Shadow Home Secretary, the Conservative MP for Croydon South is competent, charismatic and has the ingredients to be an influential member of the opposition. So why isn’t he?
Appointed as Shadow Home Secretary by Kemi Badenoch, Philp has adopted a hardline stance on crime and immigration, calling for "zero tolerance for criminals" and a significant reduction in legal migration. However, his messaging has often been overshadowed by internal party conflicts and a lack of clear policy direction.
Philp's public statements, such as suggesting that Britons need a better "work ethic," have sparked criticism and been perceived as out of touch. Moreover, his defence of suspended Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe, urging him to defect to the Conservatives, raised eyebrows and questions about his political judgment.
He’s a good example of how, if a party is struggling to define itself and it’s mission – there’s only so much MPs within that party can do. He’s damned if he sides with Reform, damned if he doesn’t. The Conservatives need to carve out their own narrative in this new world, or risk irrelevance.