Yahoo News "I would hate for him to get into any position of power" - Nigel Farage splits voter opinion in Newcastle
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage split opinion between voters in the constituency of Newcastle Upon Tyne North.
ChronicleLive has been heading out to constituencies in the North East, asking the people who live there what the main issues are in the upcoming election, as well as their opinions on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Gregor, who recently graduated, said of Mr Farage: “He’s not a very pleasant man, I’ve never been a fan. I don’t believe in anything he believes in and I would hate for him to get into any position of power.”
This view was echoed by John Hall, who said: “I don’t like him at all. I think he is trying to get his own personal opinions across in an incorrect way.”
Carole Wright added: “He’s upset a lot of people. You have got to be a likeable character to lead a country, and he is not that person.”
However, Ian, who is retired and gets a state pension, disagreed: “I do rate him, but unfortunately he is not going to get the votes he needs”, with Susan Hall adding that he does talk a lot of sense.
The NHS, the housing crisis, state pensions, economy, immigration, cuts to benefits and services and lack of presence of MPs were some of the issues raised by residents of Jesmond and Gosforth.
Rodney, who has an adult son with learning disabilities, said: “Where we live, we get to see the councillors coming round regularly, but you never see the MP or other candidates coming round apart from when there is an election.”
Carole Wright added: “The most important issue for me is that we need a government that can get it right because I don’t think anyone is at the moment, and I don’t think there is anyone else capable either. It’s the lesser of two evils and I’m unhappy with what we’ve got and what we could get.”
This feeling about the current government was echoed by other constituents. Gregor said of Rishi Sunak: “He’s out of his depth. There is a lot of stuff he does that makes you cringe, and I’m not his biggest fan."
Susan Hall added: “I don’t think he has got a grasp of a lot of the main issues in the country.”
However, voters were not too enthusiastic about the Labour leader either. Ian said he did not rate Mr Starmer at all, John Hall described him as robotic, with Carole Wright adding that she thinks he is inept and very uncharismatic for a politician.
Steve, a bike rider from Gosforth said he thinks Starmer talks well, with Susan Hall adding he is more in touch with the general feeling in the country.
