The mood was lighter than usual in the House of Commons on Wednesday, December 18, during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session. With the holiday break just two days away, MPs boisterously wished each other "Merry Christmas" and "peace and goodwill" for the new year.

On the opposition benches, the five MPs from the far-right Reform UK party laughed heartily at the attacks by the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish nationalists on the Labour Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, but Reform's leader and founder, Nigel Farage, sporting a wolfish grin and Union Jack socks, did not ask to speak. Starmer then headed off to Downing Street to preside over two back-to-back receptions: one to celebrate Hanukkah and the other in honor of Britain's political journalists.

However, this is no time for celebration for the British government. Five months after Labour's victory in the general election, its unpopularity is reaching record-breaking levels. Even more troubling to Downing Street is Reform UK’s breakthrough in the polls and billionaire Elon Musk's rumored intentions to donate to the party. A poll published on December 4 by Find Out Now caused a stir by giving Reform UK 24% of voter support, behind the Conservatives (26%) but ahead of Labour (23%). Other polls now show Reform UK neck-and-neck with the latter two parties, which have dominated British politics for a century.

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