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QUENTIN LETTS: With marmalade tan and US swagger, Nigel Farage glowed inside and out

Related Topics: Nigel Farage, Keir Starmer

Nigel Farage is turning into Donald Trump, and not just in his attitude to Russia.

Before the Channel 4 News thunderbolt about bad behaviour by some of the party's activists in Clacton, the Reform leader took himself to Sunderland for a lunchtime rally that owed plenty to his patron, the US presidential candidate.

We had rooty-tooty music, fireworks to celebrate his entrance and self-acclaim by the bucket-load. Mr Farage has become a not unboastful Bertie.

The complexion is that of Chivers marmalade. He sashayed around the stage and spoke in headlines that blew out of one side of his mouth, a little like Buddy Hackett.