I worry that Reform UK’s new rhetoric seems to be borrowing from the woke left, just as they announce the defection of 29 councillors to the party, including those who previously represented the Lib Dems and Labour, suggesting a purposeful move to the centre.

At a bizarre press conference this afternoon where he refused to take any questions from the press, Nigel Farage suggested that criticism of the party’s Muslim chairman Zia Yusuf amounted to racism.

I would counter that it’s completely legitimate concerns about using the woke witch hunt tactics of the left by calling the cops on your best performing MP Rupert Lowe, while spreading smears about him suffering from early onset dementia.

Indeed, the Daily Mail reported at the weekend that Farage had serious concerns about Yusuf’s conduct himself, which I assume isn’t racist.

I don’t know about you but to be honest I feel more than a little gaslit over the past two weeks.

Usually sound folk like Matt Goodwin lecturing that if I believe in the mass deportation of illegals or dual nationals who have been found guilty of committing a crime during their time in the UK makes me a hater, a wrecker, stupid or completely away with the fairies.

I’m not. Like most of you, I’m a perfectly reasonable centrist who knows we have one chance to save our country and refusing to undo so much of the damage done just won’t cut it.

It’s a sign of the very online right that the latest attempt to try and gaslight us into believing that mass deportations came via a meme posted (somewhat ironically on X) by Goodwin which read: “3% REMIGRATION PARTY/VERY ONLINE RIGHT/REFORM ON 26%.”

Perhaps Matt should just be honest about the fact that he now works in lockstep with Nigel Farage and Reform UK party’s leadership, rather than as a truly independent commentator and journalist like me.

Because no one is talking about re-migration. Just like Rupert, we are suggesting the mass deportation of illegal immigrants and criminals who are dual citizens – the rapists, terrorists, murderers and benefits cheats making our country unsafe and poor can go back to their country of origin.

And certainly Rupert isn’t backing down. And nor should he. We know this man isn’t an extremist. Indeed, the words he told me last week during our Outspoken exclusive interview were removed from his flagship address at Reform’s conference were taken directly from Farage’s No1 ally Donald Trump.

So is pollster extraordinaire Goodwin right that mass deportations of illegal immigrants and criminal dual nationals is a concept just too extreme for the British population – a practical and electoral impossibility?

Absolutely not and, somewhat embarrassingly and awkwardly, for both Goodwin and Farage it was their own employer GB News that came up with the evidence showing that 66 per cent of all voters support deporting migrants who entered UK illegally and that figure jumps to an astonishing 99 per cent among Reform voters.

So let’s dig into that data from Find Out Now:

Results show 84 per cent of all voters support the deportation of migrants who commit violent crimes.

Among Reform voters, this number is 99 per cent.

When asked about the deportation of migrants who commit sex offences, the public is again overwhelmingly supportive at 85 per cent – while Reform voters responded with 96 percent support.

A majority of the public also support deporting migrants who have entered the UK illegally – standing at 66 per cent.

Reform voters were almost a clean sweep with 99 per cent supporting the deportation of illegal migrants.

As Steven Edginton, the GB News journalist who got Farage to admit he had no intention of mass deportations, put it: “So mass deportations is not a fringe, ‘very online right’ position after all?”

RUPERT’S RESPONSE

Just to be clear, I am not advocating against Reform UK. I repeat: I voted for them and was the first to predict Nigel Farage would become Prime Minister in 2029.

But what I am saying is that their position on mass deportations is wrong and the treatment of Rupert has been unconscionable.

Here’s how Rupert responded to the new polling over the weekend, posting on X:

Of course deporting roughly one million illegal migrants and foreign criminals would be a logistical challenge.

Is it impossible? No. Do potential difficulties mean we shouldn’t even try? Absolutely not.

You have to start somewhere – I suggest those in prisons and hotels.

Refusing to deport all illegal migrants and foreign criminals is the weird fringe position.

Why are so many afraid to even say the words?

Mass deportations may not be mainstream in the media, but it’s mainstream in British public opinion.

We are right.

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PERSONAL AMBITION AHEAD OF WHAT IS RIGHT