The Peter McCormack Show

Episode #140 – Ben Habib – The British Right Has a Leadership Problem
Date: January 20, 2026
Guest: Ben Habib
Host: Peter McCormack

Episode Overview

This episode explores the crisis in British right-wing politics, focusing on the lack of strong leadership, party dysfunction, and pathways to national renewal. Ben Habib, political activist and leader of Advance UK, shares candid assessments of figures like Nigel Farage, the failures of Reform UK, the state of Parliament, immigration, the economy, and how a new movement could restore sovereignty and prosperity. The tone is frank, critical, and at times, hopeful for Britain’s future.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reform UK and Farage’s Leadership (00:00–06:05; 13:16–14:39; 40:42–41:36)

• Critical view of Reform UK:
  Habib says Reform is “built on a house of cards,” with a structure where Farage surrounds himself with loyalists rather than challengers.

  “Farage doesn't want people who are going to challenge him. He wants people who are going to do what they are told by him. Look, Farage loves money... it's not good to be the slave of money when you're running for Prime Minister.” – Ben Habib (00:00, 41:36)

• Farage’s lack of political philosophy:
  Habib believes Farage supports causes for personal gain and lacks true principles.

  “He doesn't actually have a political philosophy... he alighted on the desire of a significant minority in this country to leave the EU... If he played his cards right, he could deliver himself into the EU parliament on a very cushy basis for 20 years.” – Ben Habib (11:18)

• Reform’s credibility problem:
  Defections from the Conservatives (e.g., Robert Jenrick) have not strengthened Reform but diluted its anti-establishment identity.

  “He should have stood his ground in the Conservative Party... if he is sacked from Reform, that's the end of his political career. So he's got bad judgment.” – Ben Habib (04:13)

• Habib has "completely written Reform off":
  He predicts that if Reform fails, it will "trash the narrative" for pro-British politics and invite a return to failed globalist and establishment politics.

  “My real fear with reform... is not only that they'll fail, but they will trash the narrative in their failure so that the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats and even the British people will say, well, we tried that kind of pro British approach... and it failed.” – Ben Habib (40:42)

2. Britain’s Leadership Crisis & Dumbing Down of Parliament (01:23–02:57; 16:12–21:39)

• No current party leader worthy of being Prime Minister:
  Habib argues the UK needs a new force made up of truly capable, sovereign-minded individuals—"proper people in Parliament."

  “There’s not a single leader of a political party at the moment in my mind that's worthy of being Prime Minister... we need a new political force that reintroduces proper people into Parliament.” – Ben Habib (01:27)

• Problems with MP selection and political culture:
  McCormack compares how companies select executives to the deeply flawed way Britain selects MPs and ministers.

  "We are selecting the most unimpressive people in the country to make the most important decisions. And I just look at this and say, well, what else would we expect to happen?" – Peter McCormack (18:28)

• Lack of accountability:
  Ministers face little consequence for mistakes; the system rewards compliance and party fealty over ability or conviction.

  "Parties don't want bright, capable people. They want people who will toe the line... Farage doesn't want people who's going to challenge him... you're never going to get a team of Samsons emerging." – Ben Habib (20:09)

3. Who Could Lead Britain? (03:01–04:04; 57:31–58:09)

• Potential leaders cited:
  Rupert Lowe, Katie Lamb, Nick Timothy, Suella Braverman. But the hope is for a fresh wave of individuals, not simply recycling established names.

• Habib’s own willingness:

  "I'm happy to do any role. I think I would naturally be a finance director in a cabinet. But... if I had to be Prime Minister, I'd bloody do Prime Minister." – Ben Habib (57:41)

4. The Wisdom of the Voting Public vs. Political Class (07:36–10:33)

• Democratic instincts of the public:
  Habib praises the “collective wisdom” of the electorate, comparing it to his experience on a jury.

  "The collective wisdom of those 12 people was phenomenal... That's a real wake up call to me about democracy." – Ben Habib (08:06)

• Public craves change but lacks structural understanding:
  McCormack observes that rapid rises of Reform and the Green Party show hunger for change, but little clarity on what reforms are needed.

5. Sovereignty, National Identity, and Cultural Nationalism (14:39–28:28)

• Three-word vision:

  "A proud, sovereign, prosperous United Kingdom. These are the three things that are critical…" – Ben Habib (14:42)

• Structural roots of decline:
  Britain’s fixation on international law, supranational institutions, and legislative changes (Human Rights Act, Equalities Act) have eroded national self-understanding and the privileges of citizenship.

  "We've literally set the country aside. That's where we're at." – Ben Habib (24:04)

• Government’s definition of far right:
  The government’s conflation of “cultural nationalism” with extremism disturbs both speakers.

  "To put cultural nationalism up there means that our own government stands against this country." – Ben Habib (25:24)

• The lost meritocracy:
  Progressive discrimination and mass migration are seen as undermining Britain’s working class and core identity.

  "We are absolutely practicing the opposite of what we need to do to put this country forward. This progressive discrimination... is the opposite of what the country should be doing." – Ben Habib (26:58)

6. Immigration & Remigration (29:35–32:44)

• Clear, firm policies advocated:
  Habib wants to send home illegal immigrants, foreign criminals, and non-contributing benefit claimants, but insists language matters:

  "There's nothing extreme in saying to someone, please go home, to repatriate them..." – Ben Habib (30:19)

• Efficacy of declared intent:
  Declaring a policy direction can facilitate voluntary returns, according to statistics he references.

7. Restoring the Economy: Sovereignty First, Welfare Reform, Deregulation (32:44–39:15)

• National sovereignty is prerequisite:
  Economic recovery is impossible without reclaiming borders and identity—ending “mass unskilled migration” and dependency.

• Slash welfare, cut taxes, roll back regulation:

  "We've got to be hard on welfare. And the money we save on welfare, we have to then give tax cuts to the working and middle classes... We've got to get rid of this idea that the state is there for everyone when anything goes wrong..." – Ben Habib (34:28)

• Inheritance tax as cultural sabotage:
  Habib sees inheritance tax as "envy-based" and designed to break the national spirit and continuity.

  "Inheritance tax is an attack on the United Kingdom ... designed to attack the country, designed to undermine the country." – Ben Habib (38:38)

8. Building a Real Alternative: Advance UK’s Strategy (42:34–51:05)

• Win the argument & assemble talent:
  Advance UK is focused on policy coherence and a “College of Great Minds,” promising draft legislation before elections, to secure a robust mandate and outmaneuver House of Lords obstruction.

• Parallel government of 'Avengers':
  The solution is to publicly select best-in-field experts—“a team of Samsons”—and present them as the future cabinet.

  “We have to do it. The cabinet, this team of Samsons that I mentioned earlier, they have to be assembled. The Avengers have to be assembled… the nation needs to see them just as much as they need to see the policies.” – Ben Habib (49:08, 49:16)

• Recruitment, not recycling politicians:
  Advance UK will advertise and interview for parliamentary candidates, favoring those with life and professional experience over career politicians.

9. The Emotional and Personal Burden of the Fight (60:25–62:38)

• Weight of responsibility:
  Both discuss the emotional toll of fighting for change against institutional inertia and entrenched political culture.

• Sense of historical duty:

  “If we don't try, I will be on my deathbed in 20 years... and I'll be thinking, I didn't try. If I try and fail. I tried.” – Ben Habib (62:33)

• Concerns for the next generation:
  McCormack highlights “a government of just really unimpressive people making such stupid decisions” and worries about the legacy left to young people.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Reform’s dangers:

  “My real fear with reform, real fear, is not only that they'll fail, but they will trash the narrative in their failure so that... let's go back to the comfort zone of all the things that brought this country into the trouble that it's in.” – Ben Habib (40:42)

• On what it takes to win:

  “We need a body of people who have a joined up political philosophy that puts this country's sovereignty at its heart.” – Ben Habib (13:25)

• On public wisdom:

  “The collective wisdom of those 12 people was phenomenal... It's also a very good reason why we must never get rid of jury trial.” – Ben Habib (08:06)

• On cultural nationalism:

  “To be a nation you have to have a culture... So to put cultural nationalism up there means that our own government stands against this country.” – Ben Habib (25:24)

• On political duty versus regret:

  “If we don't try, I will be on my deathbed in 20 years... and I'll be thinking, I didn't try. If I try and fail. I tried.” – Ben Habib (62:33)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Farage & Reform UK critiqued: 00:00, 04:13, 13:16, 40:42, 41:36
• Leadership crisis, MP selection: 01:23, 16:12, 18:28, 20:09
• Potential leaders listed: 03:01, 57:41
• Jury democracy analogy: 08:06
• On national identity & law: 24:04, 25:24, 26:58
• Immigration debate: 29:35
• Economic reforms needed: 34:28, 38:38
• Advance UK’s plan: 42:34, 49:08, 49:16, 54:37
• Personal burden and legacy: 60:25, 62:33

Tone & Language

The tone is blunt, urgent, and at times nostalgic for a lost sense of British purpose. Habib and McCormack mix policy discussion with personal conviction, appealing to shared cultural memories and frustrations with the status quo. There’s seriousness in the call to action, with a sense of hope that a new force—if built intentionally and expertly—can rescue the nation from decline.

For Listeners

This episode is essential listening for those disillusioned with mainstream politics, curious about the inner workings of right-wing party dynamics, passionate about sovereignty, or looking for how a grassroots movement might finally break through Britain’s political inertia.