Nigel Farage emerged from his conference speech as a Prime Minister-in-waiting by out-foxing Sir Keir Starmer after Angela Rayner's bombshell resignation, GB News has been told.
Mr Farage, who took to the stage for his keynote speech almost four hours earlier than expected, looked to continue building momentum after a campaign-blitz summer.
Almost 120 miles away in No10, Sir Keir was forced to hold an urgent reshuffle after the Prime Minister's independent ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, concluded Ms Rayner had ignored two warnings to seek expert tax advice over her decision to slash £40,000 off her stamp duty bill.
Shortly after releasing a slick video warning Sir Keir he faces infighting and an emboldened hard-left fightback, Mr Farage was received by a rapturous crowd of 6,000 members at the NEC in Birmingham.
Directly addressing Ms Rayner's resignation, the Reform UK leader said: "The reason I have moved this speaking time forward is because this Government is deep in crisis.
"Not only have they fallen in deep unpopularity in just a year of winning the General Election, but it's becoming clear to all of us that it is a Cabinet of wholly unqualified people to run our country. They're not fit to govern."
When Mr Farage brought up Ms Rayner's resignation, the Reform UK leader was met with yet more cheers and applause.
He continued: "You simply can't get away from being the Housing Secretary and avoiding £40,000 of stamp duty.
"It screams of entitlement, it screams of a Government that, despite all the promises that this would be a new kind of politics, is as bad, if not worse, than the one that went before."
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Nigel Farage emerged from his conference speech as a 'Prime Minister in-waiting'
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A Labour veteran told GB News: "It feels like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
"It'll be tricky to defend some in the reshuffle.
"Shabana being put in charge of the Home Office after overseeing the early release of prisoners is a particular problem.
"David Lammy becoming Deputy Prime Minister will deputise for Keir at PMQs but most people will think, 'so what?'
"It doesn't really change anything. It feels like a loyalist reshuffle."
Nigel Farage was received by a rapturous crowd of 6,000 members at the NEC in Birmingham
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And the Labour veteran could not ignore Mr Farage’s hand, particularly after Reform’s summer surge.
They conceded: "Nigel's speech was very good. I feel like we've heard the future PM speak and I don't think Labour has anyone in Cabinet that can rebut many of the arguments he put forward today in a compelling and articulate way."
Meanwhile, a gleeful Reform UK bigwig told the People’s Channel: "The news tonight is just going to be the Government in chaos and Nigel delivering the speech of a Prime Minister in waiting."
But it was not just on the turquoise topics that Mr Farage let rip.
In a clear hat-tip to the Heathrow Lounge, which included City boys and even the odd Tory donor, Mr Farage warned about an exodus of the best and brightest as a result of Rachel Reeves’s tax raids.
And Mr Farage might very quickly be establishing his top Cabinet team already.
Doge chief Zia Yusuf, who is also now heading up policy, has his eyes on No11.
And it’s not yet clear if the tech tycoon will take his place while sitting on green or red benches.
Meanwhile, Mr Anderson would quite like a gig in the Department for Work & Pensions.
While Mr Farage is expanding outwards, Sir Keir is perhaps turning in on himself.
The reshuffle resulted in the loyalist of allies being elevated and jumbled between departments.
Mr Farage warned that an imminent deputy leadership race will see the Prime Minister have a showdown with his hard-left critics.
And after seeing off an almost catastrophic rebellion by the narrowest of margins - fuelled primarily by the most almighty of U-turns, Reform UK insiders were left buoyant after a summer campaigning spree on crime and migration.
Nigel Farage warned that an imminent deputy leadership race will see the Prime Minister have a showdown with his hard-left critics
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A dumbfounded Reform UK staffer added: "People have been messaging me saying it looks like we’ve got a Prime Minister in waiting.
"Whereas, with Rayner resigning, Labour is just continuing the f**king chaos of the Tories."
With the Reform UK leader opening up double-digit leads in the polls, Reform UK Chief Whip Lee Anderson dished out some more red meat.
Mr Anderson, seen by many as Mr Farage’s attack dog in personal jibes against his one-time Labour allies, upped the ante by suggesting Ms Rayner received tax advice for Westminster’s muddled-up mathematician Diane Abbott.
He also could not help but take a far from veiled swipe at David Lammy.
The Tottenham MP had been the subject of another one of Mr Anderson’s jibes, with Mr Lammy being labelled as Britain’s "village idiot" in January.
However, it was Mr Farage who stole the show. The Reform UK leader doubled-down on his migration commitment.
He revealed that he would end the Channel crossings within two weeks of entering No10.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir was thanking his scandal-stricken former Deputy Prime Minister.
Responding to the resignation letter, Sir Keir told Ms Rayner "you will remain a major figure in our party" and will "continue to fight for the causes you care so passionately about".