A person holds a water bottle whilst walking near Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, in London, Britain, June 23, 2026. — Reuters
Community groups gain powers to sponsor refugees.
Trusted varsities to join expanded sponsorship scheme.
Sponsorship scheme would be “capped”: Home Office.
The UK interior ministry has announced it will create new legal routes for asylum seekers, including allowing community organisations to sponsor refugees based on a similar system in Canada.
The system will come into place later this year, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said late Friday, with organisations and some “trusted” universities able to sponsor refugees and first arrivals expected in autumn 2027.
A route for employers to sponsor refugees is also expected to open next year, the Home Office said in a press release.
Immigration and asylum are thorny issues in the UK, where the hard-right Reform UK party has rapidly grown in popularity, riding a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment.
Keir Starmer, who stepped down as prime minister this week but will remain in power until his successor is chosen, has tried to appear tough on immigration since coming into power two years ago.
His government will next week introduce legislation in parliament tightening asylum rules, including making it easier to deport failed asylum seekers and restricting family reunion for refugees to immediate family members.
The immigration policies of his likely successor Andy Burnham — who could replace Starmer as early as July — remain unclear, though he has acknowledged migration concerns in his recent campaign to become an MP.
It is also uncertain whether Mahmood, the straight-talking face of Starmer’s immigration crackdown, will remain in her post under the next prime minister.
“I will open new legal routes for genuine refugees, while closing loopholes that have been too often abused,” Mahmood said in a statement.
The new sponsorship scheme will “operate at a much higher capacity” than the UK Resettlement Scheme, which brought around 800 people in the year ending September 2025.
The Home Office did not detail how many refugees could benefit from the scheme, but said it would be “capped”.
Previous sponsorship schemes have been targeted at countries, including resettlement for refugees from Syria or Afghanistan.
Earlier this year, Mahmood faced criticism from charities and within her own party over tough regulations, including making refugee status temporary and banning education visas for some countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar and Sudan.
Bill Connelly is a writer for ESPN. He covers college football, soccer and tennis. He has been at ESPN since 2019.
Multiple Authors
HOUSTON — It’s a wonder of soccer that a 0-0 draw between teams ranked 59th and 64th in the FIFA world rankings could set off celebrations not only inside NRG Stadium (and a big drum party in a strip mall across the street) but also in Massachusetts, Rotterdam and a small island nation off the coast of West Africa.
The celebrations were for Cape Verde, which became the smallest nation to ever qualify for the FIFA World Cup knockout rounds Friday night. Their 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia clinched second place in Group H, ahead of Uruguay and Saudi Arabia; what started as a fun story with their 0-0 draw against Spain — a result that made 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha an overnight sensation — will continue with an elimination match against Lionel Messi and Argentina.
“I don’t think any of us dreamed of this,” Vozinha said after Friday’s match. “But we know we have a lot of quality. Qualifying for the next round today is extremely rewarding for us. It’s a dream for any player to play against Argentina and against Messi.”
After their match ended, Cape Verde’s players huddled around a phone to make sure Spain saw off their 1-0 win over Uruguay. “I almost wanted to cry,” midfielder Deroy Duarte said. “It was so emotional. Everybody was just waiting and praying and hoping that the result was good. It was a very special moment. [Something] I’ve never felt on the pitch. And I hope we can feel the same feeling in the next game.”
A country with the population of Fresno, California [around 530,000], Cape Verde is a true underdog’s underdog: The players on their 26-man roster were employed by 26 different club teams in 14 different countries last season. Seven played in Portugal, which makes sense since the country was a Portuguese colony until 1975, and the country’s official language remains Portuguese.
Of the 2,970 total minutes their players have recorded in the World Cup, only 256 were played by guys employed by one of the top 100 clubs in the world (per Opta): 166 from left back Sidny Cabral (Benfica) and 90 from left winger Willy Semedo (Omonia Nicosia).
Cape Verde won its independence from Portugal in 1975 and didn’t join FIFA until 1986. But the quality of the national team has steadily improved for most of 20 years, and while a number of players on the roster weren’t born in the country, there is also pride in the diaspora.
“We love our country,” Vozinha said. “We have a lot of passion. We grew up facing many hardships. Our parents and grandparents sacrificed a great deal so that we could be educated. And we learned how to value things. I think we’ve shown the resilience of the Cape Verdean people.”
Duarte added: “Obviously, we also have Cape Verdeans outside of the country, but we’re a small country, small population, but we have a big heart.”
The Blue Sharks advanced with draws in three straight matches, but each result was a different type of achievement. The draw with Spain was a test of fortitude — Spain attempted 27 shots, but Cape Verde blocked eight of them, and Vozinha saved another seven. The post helped, too, on an effort from Ferran Torres late in the first half, but that was the only shot Spain attempted that was worth over 0.2 xG. Cape Verde kept the box clean without fouling and held on for an historic result.
The 2-2 draw with Uruguay, on the other hand, was a test of resilience. Cape Verde took an early lead, but when Maxi Araújo tied things up, their body language plummeted. It seemed guaranteed that they would allow another goal, and they did exactly that just before halftime. Saved by the halftime whistle, however, they rebounded. They tied the score with Helio Varela’s fast-break goal in the 61st minute, and for the half they attempted 10 shots (0.83 xG) and allowed just six (0.41). If someone was going to find a winner in that game, it looked far more likely to be Cape Verde.
The deciding 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia tested their nerves. When Spain took the lead on Uruguay late in the first half — therefore moving Cape Verde into second place in Group H — the score was announced inside the stadium. And almost immediately, Saudi Arabia put together a string of threats. If they had scored, they would have taken second place instead. But Cape Verde held out until halftime and put together an excellent second-half performance, nearly scoring on a couple of different late counterattacks. Saudi Arabia never showed the urgency the moment required, but Abdullah Al Hamddan did put a solid shot on target in the second minute of stoppage time. Regardless, the draw stood, and Cape Verde advanced.
“We didn’t come here just to hold onto a draw,” Vozinha said afterward. “In the second half, from the moment we came back onto the field, we always tried to win the match. We knew it wouldn’t be easy, [as] Saudi Arabia is also a team with a lot of quality. We tried everything to score, but we couldn’t.”
Regardless, they held their nerve.
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Cape Verde send fans wild as they reach World Cup knockouts
The wonder of an expanded World Cup
You can be as cynical as you want about why FIFA chose to expand the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams. It’s been an all-time heist from a financial perspective. But that’s always been the trade-off with FIFA and the game of soccer. It’s like a pact: It gets to be as shameless as it wants in the hunt for more and more money, but it also agrees to share the game (and the riches) with more and more countries. Meanwhile, we get an endless string of new characters to learn about and new stories to devour. Whatever FIFA does, it still can’t ruin the game itself.
World Cup expansion was meant for a country such as Cape Verde, which has been on the cusp of Africa’s top tier for quite a while. They finished second in their group to Cameroon in 2010 World Cup qualification, second to Tunisia in 2014 and second to Nigeria in 2022.
They’ve reached the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations three times in 13 years, too. Africa had five bids to divvy out for a 32-team World Cup, but that nearly doubled, to nine, when expansion came. Granted, Cape Verde were so good in qualification (23 points in 10 matches) that they might have qualified with just five bids this time. But expansion offered opportunities to the Cape Verdes, Curaçaos and Jordans of the world, and they all created memorable moments. They inspired others, too.
“Everything that’s happened is very rewarding,” Vozinha said. “We’re here to create memories and role models for the younger generation. And who knows? From now on, we’ll have Cape Verdean role models, Cape Verdean footballers that children can look at and say, ‘One day I want to be like [defender] Stopira, like [midfielder] Ryan Mendes, or like other Cape Verde players.’ That’s incredibly rewarding.”
Are the stakes lower for a lot of these group stage matches now that we’re letting in more teams? Has there been less jeopardy in the group stage because 32 of 48 teams advance to the knockouts? Absolutely.
But the world knows about Cape Verde now, too. It knows about Curaçao. (The pride of even a scoreless Curaçao draw with Ecuador was incredible to witness. A couple of journalists in the press box pounded the tables at the final whistle, yelling, “Curaçao! Curaçao! Smallest nation in the world!”) The world knows something else about Congo DR beyond war or Ebola. This event connects the world and makes it smaller and prouder. It reminds us that everyone everywhere cares about the same things we care about. You can abhor FIFA and still admit that.
“We’ve seen [in] the other games also against Uruguay and Spain, that we received a lot of support from different people from different countries,” Duarte said. “It’s just what football brings. Football brings people close to each other. And I think this is also something Cape Verdean: We like to receive people, we like to act like they are ours. This is typical Cape Verdean, and that makes us proud.”
The big nations win the World Cup, but the small nations make it. France or Spain or England or Argentina will probably take this thing home, but the celebrations from Ecuador, Congo DR and, of course, Cape Verde, have defined it thus far. We’re richer for having them there. Cape Verde’s run will likely end at the feet of Messi and Argentina next week, but hey, you never know, right?
“Obviously, this is a special moment, special game,” Duarte said. “But still, the ball is round, [and] you can see [that] when we played against Spain, Uruguay, we draw. So why not?
“The joy that came out is something I’ve never felt before on the pitch. I hope to feel it again against Argentina.”
Jeff Bergman, who voices nearly all of the modern Looney Tunes cast, sits down with “CBS Saturday Morning” to talk about stepping in for Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head in “Toy Story 5.”
One year on, exchange sealing paralyses trade, sends negative signals to foreign investors
KARACHI:
The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), while expressing deep concern over the continued sealing and forceful occupation of the historic Cotton Exchange building, has stated that it has inflicted severe damage on Pakistan’s cotton trade, disrupted hundreds of businesses and created an atmosphere of uncertainty that threatens the country’s exports and investment climate.
In a statement issued on Saturday, KCCI President Rehan Hanif said that the chamber was receiving an overwhelming number of complaints from its member firms, which had been directly affected by the abrupt closure of the Cotton Exchange. A total of 209 commercial offices, many of which had been operating since the creation of Pakistan in 1947, have been rendered dysfunctional overnight. These offices comprise importers, exporters, cotton brokers, traders, commission agents, textile-related businesses and numerous enterprises associated with Pakistan’s cotton value chain.
The sudden sealing has not only brought their commercial activities to a standstill but has also caused enormous financial losses, contractual complications and reputational damage.
The KCCI president noted that the Cotton Exchange, where the Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) also operated, had historically remained the backbone of Pakistan’s organised cotton marketing system and played an indispensable role in bringing together growers, ginners, textile manufacturers, exporters, brokers and other stakeholders under a transparent trading framework.
Hanif noted that historical records clearly indicated that the land upon which the Cotton Exchange building was standing was originally leased in 1883, while the Karachi Cotton Association formally acquired the property through a registered conveyance deed in 1936, with the lease subsequently renewed until 2081.
He also expressed concern over the reported non-compliance with the Sindh High Court’s order dated June 18, 2026, which had allowed the Karachi Cotton Association to continue its business activities from the Cotton Exchange building until final adjudication of the matter. He urged the authorities concerned to ensure immediate implementation of the court’s directives and uphold the rule of law.
LCCI calls for easier finance, policy consistency as number of SME borrowers grows
LAHORE:
Small and medium enterprise (SME) financing in Pakistan surged 46% to Rs853.94 billion in the year ending March 31, 2026, according to data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), as the government marked World MSME Day on June 27.
The number of SME borrowers increased from 203,139 to 312,355 during the same period, registering growth of 53.7%, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan said in a message on the occasion.
The figures were released during a seminar organised by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) to mark World MSME Day.
LCCI President Faheemur Rehman Saigol said SMEs are the backbone of economies across the world and possess enormous potential to generate employment, reduce poverty, promote local industrialisation and accelerate economic activity in Pakistan.
He said millions of people are associated with the MSME sector directly and indirectly, making its growth synonymous with the growth of the national economy.
However, despite their immense importance, MSMEs continue to face multiple challenges, including limited access to bank financing, lack of modern technology, high energy costs, excessive cost of doing business, marketing constraints and difficulties in accessing international export markets.
Saigol stressed the need for greater institutional support, policy consistency and easier access to finance to enable MSMEs to realise their full potential.
Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman and Minister of State Bilal Bin Saqib has said that the principles of the financial system are being redefined, and Pakistan intends to play its role in shaping them. He noted that the financial system is increasingly becoming automated through software and blockchain, and software does not recognise borders.
“We have always viewed money as something under the exclusive authority of the state,” he said, according to a statement issued by PVARA on Saturday. Saqib presented this position on the main stage at the Point Zero Forum 2026 held in Zurich – a major gathering of the world’s central bankers, regulators and financial leaders. Addressing the forum, he reiterated that the principles of the financial system are being redefined and that Pakistan aims to contribute to their formation.
He said the financial system is rapidly becoming automated through software and blockchain, and software does not adhere to geographical boundaries. “We have always understood money as something controlled solely by the state – one flag, one border, one currency. That era is now ending,” he said. Delivering this message in a room filled with individuals who have managed the global financial system for generations was significant.
Saqib spoke as a representative of one of the world’s largest digital asset markets. He also participated in a panel moderated by Central Banking Publications, alongside Deputy Governor of the South African Reserve Bank Dr Mampho Modise. The session examined where tokenised money is already in use, the barriers preventing its large-scale adoption, and how regulators, banks and technology providers can create interoperability between central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), stablecoins and tokenised systems.
His stance was unequivocal: in countries where millions are already using digital assets, the question is no longer whether to allow them, but whether to maintain sovereignty over them or leave them to others.
“Pakistan is adopting a Pakistan-first strategy on digital assets,” he said. “Our position is that developing economies must help define the principles of tokenised finance rather than passively inheriting frameworks created elsewhere. The countries that succeed will be those that can openly acknowledge reality: this has already happened, our people are already here.” “Our responsibility is not to stop economic innovation, but to manage it better,” he added.
Beyond the main stage, Saqib participated in several high-level, invitation-only sessions, placing Pakistan in direct dialogue with central bankers and financial leaders from Singapore, Japan, the Philippines, the Gulf region and Europe. Major global banks and leading digital asset institutions were also present.
These discussions focused on a key challenge facing developing economies today: how to benefit from dollar-denominated tokenised money without compromising monetary sovereignty, control over payment systems or visibility over financial flows. Pakistan ranks among the world’s largest digital asset markets. According to Chainalysis’ 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index, Pakistan ranks third globally in grassroots crypto adoption, behind only India and the United States. Contributing factors include a young, mobile-first population, one of the world’s largest freelance economies, over $38 billion in annual remittances, and the growing use of stablecoins as a hedge against inflation.
Pakistan did not adopt digital assets as a result of regulation; it adopted them first and is now developing regulations accordingly.
Now in its fifth year, the Point Zero Forum is an annual policy and technology gathering organised by the Global Finance and Technology Network and the State Secretariat for International Finance of Switzerland, in collaboration with the BIS Innovation Hub, the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Swiss National Bank. The 2026 edition was held at Kongresshaus Zurich, with participation from over 2,000 central bankers, regulators, policymakers and industry leaders. PVARA is the federal authority responsible for licensing and supervising virtual asset service providers in Pakistan.
The KSE-100 index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed the three-day week at 179,571, gaining 649 points, or 0.36% week-on-week, as the easing of geopolitical tensions and the passage of FY27 budget lifted investor sentiment.
On a day-on-day basis, the PSX witnessed a range-bound session on Monday, with the KSE-100 declining 451 points (-0.25%) to close at 178,472. During the trading session, mixed investor sentiment prevailed, with participants largely lacking a clear directional bias.
The market experienced another directionless session on Tuesday, when the index fell 779 points (-0.44%) and closed at 177,693. During the day, the KSE-100 registered early gains and touched the intra-day high of 179,406 before profit-taking erased most of the advance.
The bourse, however, enjoyed a strong session on Wednesday, rising 1,878 points (+1.06%) to settle at 179,571. Broad-based buying emerged as investors positioned themselves for further positive developments on the geopolitical front, expected another reduction in domestic petroleum prices and anticipated monetary easing.
Arif Habib Limited (AHL) reported that the KSE-100 index closed at 179,571 points, up 0.36% WoW (+649 points). The advance was primarily driven by the signing of a peace agreement and broader geopolitical easing. The market remained positive despite being a rollover week.
The price of motor spirit (MS) was slashed by Rs74.28 to Rs299.50 per litre, driven by a reduction of Rs33.79 in the ex-refinery price and a decrease of Rs40.49 in petroleum levy, while the inland freight equalisation margin (IFEM) remained unchanged at Rs2.87.
The price of high-speed diesel (HSD) fell Rs67.31 to Rs311.47 per litre, primarily due to a reduction of Rs87.02 in the ex-refinery price, partially offset by an increase of Rs19.71 in petroleum levy, while the IFEM stood unchanged at Rs2.40.
AHL mentioned that in the T-bill auction, the government raised Rs1,242.8 billion against the target of Rs1,200 billion, with cut-off yields declining across all tenors by 39 to 115 basis points. The largest allocation was made in the 12-month tenor, which attracted Rs624.3 billion.
Under the approved Finance Bill 2026, the super tax was abolished for companies deriving more than 80% of their turnover from exports. Meanwhile, Oil and Gas Development Company commenced gas production from the Sahito-1 discovery well under the Khewari exploration licence. Mari Energies also started gas production from the Shams-1 well, making a positive addition to the domestic gas output.
During the week, the Pakistani rupee appreciated slightly against the US dollar, strengthening 0.02% to close at Rs278.20/$, AHL added.
AKD Securities reported that market activity remained volatile during the shortened trading week, as the benchmark KSE-100 index declined through the first two trading days before recovering in the final session to close at 179,571 (+0.4% WoW). Market participation (average daily turnover) increased to 1.5 billion shares vs 1.4 billion in the prior week. On the positive side, the US and Iran formally agreed on a 60-day roadmap towards a final deal, sustaining the recent downward momentum in international oil prices, which extended their decline on expectations of smoother crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
Sentiment was further aided by the Iranian president’s visit to Islamabad. Furthermore, the National Assembly passed the Rs18.8 trillion expansionary FY27 budget, broadly favourable for key sectors such as cement, steel, refineries, textile, pharma, and technology, alongside reduction/elimination of super tax for individuals and corporates.
On the consumer front, petroleum prices were revised downwards, with MS and HSD cut by Rs74/litre and Rs67/litre, respectively. In the T-bill auction, cut-off yields fell sharply across all tenors. Moreover, broad money (M2) rose 9.2% in the current financial year to Rs44.2 trillion, fuelled primarily by a 2.8% WoW increase in scheduled bank deposits.
Scientists have linked eating leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale and broccoli to better lung health.
There are two primary forms of vitamin K found in foods. The primary kind is vitamin K1, found mainly in vegetables, which plays a major role in the body’s blood-clotting process.
Vitamin K2 is found in fermented foods, certain dairy products, eggs and meats and helps regulate calcium in the body and supports bone health.
Researchers at Australia’s Edith Cowan University examined whether dietary intake of vitamins K1 and K2 was associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and lung function.
Leafy green vegetables are high in vitamin K1, a nutrient that researchers have observed conributes to improved lung health.(iStock)
“Chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, are among the most prevalent noncommunicable diseases worldwide and were the third leading cause of death in 2019, accounting for 4 million deaths and affecting 454.6 million individuals globally,” the scientists reported in the introduction to their study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
“Although asthma and COPD can be managed with available treatments, neither condition is curable, underscoring the need for effective prevention strategies,” they added.
The leading cause of COPD is smoking, the Mayo Clinic reported. Exposure to other irritants, such as dust, chemicals and pollution, can also cause it.
The researchers analyzed data from 179,062 participants over a 10-and-a-half-year period and concluded that, “Higher dietary vitamin K1Â intake was associated with better lung function and a lower rate of COPD.”
Researchers found that people who increased their vitamin K1 intake were less likely to develop COPD.(iStock)
Participants who consumed the most vitamin K1 had a 16% lower likelihood of COPD, the researchers observed. The effects were more pronounced in smokers and participants with high-risk occupations.
Consumption of vitamin K2 did not result in lower COPD rates.
“No association was observed for vitamin K1Â or vitamin K2Â intakes and asthma,” the researchers also wrote. Â
Associate Professor Marc Sim, who was involved in the study, said that it’s likely Vitamin K activates a protein that may help keep lung tissue flexible and prevent damage.
Because the study was observational, it cannot prove that vitamin K1 directly reduces COPD risk, only that higher intake was associated with better lung health.
Researchers have associated higher consumption of leafy green vegetables with better lung function.(iStock)
Just one extra serving of leafy greens “is an achievable way to boost your vitamin K1 intake,” said Chengfeng Li, one of the study’s researchers.
Iran’s annual inflation rate surged to 88.6% in June, the highest in recent months, as the Middle East war intensified pressure on an economy already struggling with sanctions and years of hyperinflation.
Iran’s annual inflation rate surged to 88.6% in June, the highest in recent months, as the Middle East war intensified pressure on an economy already struggling with sanctions and years of hyperinflation, according to official data released on Saturday, AFP reported.According to the Statistical Centre of Iran, inflation during the Persian month of Khordad (May 22-June 21) accelerated sharply, with food prices more than doubling from a year earlier in a country already grappling with soaring living costs.Bread and grain prices rose 138.8% year-on-year, while milk, cheese and eggs became 151.9% more expensive. Prices of red meat and poultry jumped 178.2%, the data showed.By comparison, annual inflation stood at 68% in February, before the outbreak of the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.Inflation had earlier reached 52.6% year-on-year in December 2025, when protests over the rising cost of living erupted before expanding into broader political demonstrations.Iran publishes inflation data monthly based on the Persian calendar, under which each year begins in March.For years, the country’s economy has been weighed down by chronic hyperinflation and the sharp depreciation of the rial, largely due to international sanctions.The prolonged rise in prices has steadily eroded household purchasing power, with the economic crisis worsening in recent months and fuelling widespread public protests in December.According to the official figures, the Middle East war has further exacerbated the country’s economic crisis.
EXCLUSIVE: Nigel Farage told Fox News Digital that mass migration has radically changed the country’s makeup. The Reform UK leader argued that Britain’s political system is “completely broken” following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s resignation. Farage is calling for a new general election, predicting his party has “every chance of winning.”
Speaking exclusively from the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference in London this week, a forum focused on debates over culture, Western civilization and Judeo-Christian values, Farage said Starmer’s downfall was not an isolated political event, but the latest aftershock of the Brexit revolt that upended British politics a decade ago.
“Ten years ago yesterday, we had a political earthquake in Britain. It was called Brexit,” Farage said. “And the two old parties have never quite adapted to it.”
Nigel Farage being interviewed by Baroness Philippa Stroud at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference in London.(Alliance for Responsible Citizenship)
Farage, one of the most prominent figures behind the Brexit campaign and now leader of Reform UK, has long argued that Britain’s political establishment failed to deliver on voters’ demands for tighter borders and greater national sovereignty.
Starmer announced his resignation,on Monday paving the way for Britain to have its seventh leader in a decade. Reuters reported on June 24 that Andy Burnham appeared positioned to succeed him, with the Labour leadership contest expected to begin July 9.
Farage said that Starmer’s defeat was sealed in local elections earlier this year, when Reform UK made sweeping gains in former Labour strongholds. Farage said those voters were the same people who powered Brexit — and that immigration remained central to their anger.
“All of those were Brexit voters,” he said. “Starmer wants to take us closer back to the EU. But one of the reasons we voted Brexit was immigration and border controls. So the boats certainly did him harm.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces the timeline for his resignation outside 10 Downing Street in London on June 22, 2026, following Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election.(Jack Taylor/Reuters)
He said Starmer’s reported strained relationship with President Donald Trump was not the direct cause of his resignation, but added that it contributed to the image of a leader who had lost control.
“I don’t think the breakdown of his relationship with Donald Trump impacted directly,” Farage said, “but it was part of a picture of a prime minister who’d lost control.”
Farage then delivered one of his sharpest assessments of Britain’s political instability.
“And can you believe it, but when Mr. Burnham becomes our next prime minister, it’ll be our sixth prime minister in seven years,” he said. “So our political system is completely broken.”
He argued that Burnham, if he entered Downing Street through a Labour leadership contest rather than a national election, would lack a public mandate. “I don’t even know what his policies are. Literally, I don’t,” he said.
“So I think for all of those reasons, there ought to be a general election and a fresh mandate,” he added, “and I certainly think Reform would have every chance of winning. Yes, I do.”
Nigel Farage campaigns with then-President Donald Trump in Goodyear, Ariz., during a 2020 presidential election rally.(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Farage also used the interview to cast Britain’s political turmoil as part of a broader Western crisis over borders, national identity and traditional values. He delivered a warning for Americans, saying the U.S. should avoid what he described as mistakes Britain made in diversity policies, policing and justice and immigration.
“Mass migration has changed this country, certainly in many of our cities, literally beyond recognition,” he said. “We’ve not been selective about who’s been able to come into the country. That is a major contributory factor.”
“I think the pendulum has swung so far in the DEI direction,” he said, “and we finished up, no doubt, in this country, with two-tier policing, with two-tier justice.”
“My message to Americans is that political change is coming,” he said. “All of this nonsense will get reversed.”
“But also, we’ve just lost our way,” he continued. “Our leaders do not want to stand up and defend any sense of traditional values.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speaks with media outside Havering Town Hall following the 2026 local election results on May 8, 2026 in Romford, England. Voters went to the polls in local elections across England. Results counted overnight show widespread losses for the Labour Party. Several key Labour councils have surrendered their majority as Farage’s Reform UK made significant gains.(Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Asked about the relationship with the United States, Farage said he believes Britain should move closer to America, particularly on trade and financial services.
“My whole adult life has been closely intertwined with the United States of America,” he said, noting that his first job in 1982 was with the Wall Street firm Drexel Burnham Lambert.
“I think I can get on well with American leaders,” he said. “I hope and believe they can get on well with me.”
Farage said the two countries remain bound by investment, language and culture.
People carry flags and banners during an anti-immigration protest in Maidstone, Kent, United Kingdom, on Aug. 16, 2025.(Stuart Brock/Anadolu)
“You are the biggest foreign investor in Britain, and we’re still just about the biggest foreign investor in America,” he said. “And we share so much, not just language, but culture and so much else.”
“I really believe that a closer relationship with America, particularly breaking down some of the trade barriers in financial services, as an example, would be really good for both of us,” he said.
Farage also dismissed any serious push to take Britain back into the European Union.
“The price of going back into Europe would be giving up the currency, paying a massive membership fee every year,” he said. “So no, there is no demand for it, other than those stuck in the Westminster bubble who seem to be obsessed by it.”
Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, celebrates the victory of Sarah Pochin in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election at the DCBL Stadium in Widnes, England, on May 2, 2025.(Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Farage framed the American Revolution as a predecessor to the Brexit movement he championed.
“America was the first Brexit,” he said. “You struck out on your own, the first Brexit, and you became the most successful country in the world.”
Efrat Lachter is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering international affairs and the United Nations. Follow her on X @efratlachter. Stories can be sent to efrat.lachter@fox.com.
