‘Centrist dad’ Nick Tyrone investigated the rise of Reform UK and says it is ‘completely wrongheaded’ to see it as the ‘party of nasty politics’
Nick Tyrone’s in-depth study of Reform has left him open to voting for the party (Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
Nigel Farage is on course to be Britain’s next prime minister, according to a self-proclaimed liberal Remainer whose new book details the rise of Reform UK.
Nick Tyrone describes himself as a “centrist dad” who would like to see the UK rejoin the European Union, but after immersing himself among rank and file Reform activists across the nation he admits he may vote the party at the next election.
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Mr Tyrone, who says he has voted Liberal Democrat in most general elections, argues it is “completely wrongheaded” to see Reform as the “party of nasty politics”. He rejects claims by liberal friends that Reform are the “bad guys” and argues most activists are “normal people who don’t like the way the country has been run”.
The Rise of Reform has won praise ahead of its publication later this month from prime ministerial biographer Anthony Seldon and The Rest is History podcast’s Tom Holland. It comes as comes as high-profile Reform figures face investigations over donations, and as Andy Burnham seeks to win back the North to Labour.
Mr Tyrone argues that the idea that the Conservatives and Reform should come together and “unite the Right” ahead of the next election to stop Labour holding onto power is “complete and utter rubbish”.
He claims there is strong hostility to the Tories in Reform ranks, with former Conservative voters “not in a mood to forgive and forget anytime”. One local organiser told him that “annihilating” the Conservatives is seen by many as the “most important part of the mission”.
Describing what he thinks is the biggest misconception about Mr Farage, he said it is that he is “motivated by bad ideology”.
He told the Sunday Express: “[What] I see is someone who deeply cares about Britain and sees himself as someone who can change it.”
By David Williamson Chief Political Commentator NIGEL Farage is on course to be Britain’s next prim (Image: Rahil Ahmad)
Looking ahead to the next election, which must come no later than August 2029, he expects immigration will continue to be a “big issue” and that if the country runs into financial trouble the argument that Britain needs a “fresh start” will be even stronger.
While he says it is “not totally impossible” that the Tories may pull ahead of Reform in the polls before the election, he “would bet against it”.
He said: “I just feel like the Tories are so complacent… They do not understand how difficult it is going to be to get their former voters back.
“It’s going to be really, really, really hard, and I think they think it will be relatively straightforward.”
Describing the Reform supporters he met in England, Scotland and Wales, he said: “They’re very, very civically minded in a way that Labour people would have been 40 years ago, if that makes sense… They care about their local community.”
And Reform, he added, are “the only ones speaking these people’s language”.
A TV Licence currently costs £180 per year.
A TV Licence currently costs £180 per year (Image: Getty)
Older state pensioners across the UK can cut their TV Licence bill down to £0 in just 16 minutes if they meet certain criteria.
The annual fee for a TV Licence currently costs £180 and is due to rise again in April. The UK Government agreed that the TV Licence fee would increase in line with inflation for the remaining four years of the Charter period, which runs until the end of 2027, so another hike to bills is looming in early 2027. You need a TV Licence to watch or record programmes on a TV, computer, or other device on any channel or service as they are broadcast – including on-demand BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer, as well as live events on streaming services.
While most households must pay the annual £180 fee, it’s possible to get a TV Licence at a discounted rate in some cases and for some older pensioners, this fee can be avoided entirely, effectively cutting bills down to £0 simply thanks to one Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit: Pension Credit.
Pension Credit provides extra money to people who have reached State Pension age and are on a low income, and it is worth £4,300 per year on average, according to the DWP.
The benefit tops up your weekly income to £238 if you’re single, or your joint weekly income to £363.25 if you have a partner, but it also unlocks access to other financial support, too – including a free TV Licence if you’re aged 75 or over.
According to the DWP, it only takes 16 minutes on average to apply for Pension Credit and by doing so, you can unlock thousands of pounds worth of extra financial support.
The DWP said last year: “The online claim form – updated by the Work and Pensions Secretary after listening to the views of pensioners– means it now takes just 16 minutes on average to apply for Pension Credit and be eligible for up to £4,300, with 90 percent of new customers applying using the simple online form, or over the phone.”
If you already get Pension Credit, then you can apply for a free TV Licence when you’re 74, but you’ll need to continue paying for your licence until the end of the month before your 75th birthday. After this, you’ll be covered by your free licence.
Commenting on the perks of claiming the DWP benefit, Sarah Pennells, consumer finance specialist at Royal London, said: “Pension Credit is a valuable benefit because it is a ‘gateway’ benefit. That means, if you’re able to claim it, you may also be able to get help with housing costs (through Council Tax discount and Housing Benefit or Support for Mortgage Interest).
“You’re also eligible for a free TV licence if you’re aged 75 or over and you may be able to get help with NHS dental treatment, prescriptions and transport costs. If you’re entitled to these benefits, the state help you get could be very valuable and that could make a real difference to your finances.
For those who don’t meet the eligibility criteria for Pension Credit, there are other ways to reduce your TV Licence bill, or avoid the fee entirely.
If you no longer watch live on any channel, TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer, it may be worth cancelling your TV Licence and in some cases, you could be eligible for a refund if, before your licence expires, you won’t be doing any of the following:
- watching TV on any channel, like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U&Dave and international channels
- watching TV on pay TV services, like Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV
- watching live TV on streaming services, like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.
- using BBC iPlayer
This includes recording and downloading programmes on any device. But if you still need your TV Licence there are other ways to reduce the cost.
If you live in a residential care home, supported housing or sheltered accommodation, then you may be entitled to a reduced fee TV Licence, and if you’re blind (severely sight impaired) and can provide the appropriate evidence, you can apply for a 50% discount on your TV Licence. But if neither of these apply then you’ll have to pay for a TV Licence at the full rate.
TV licence: A look at reforms made to fee in 2022
If you don’t meet the eligibility criteria for Pension Credit or qualify for a reduced fee TV Licence, then there are still a few options to save money.
TV licences are per household, not per person, so if you live in a house with several people, you don’t all need to have one and could all chip in to share the cost of one licence. Instead, you can share a TV Licence among the whole household if you watch TV in a single shared area, or have a joint tenancy agreement. But if you have separate tenancy agreements and watch TV in your own room, then you will need to pay for your own.
You also don’t need a TV Licence to watch streaming services, such as Netflix and Disney Plus, on-demand TV through services like All 4 and Amazon Prime Video, videos on websites such as YouTube, or DVDs and Blu-rays.
So if you’re happy to just stick to watching any of these, and not watch or record any live TV or BBC iPlayer, you can save yourself £180 per year. But if you do watch or record live TV without a TV Licence, then you can be issued a fine of up to £1,000.