Cliff Notes – Reform UK thinktank hires YouTube magician
- YouTube comedian and magician Archie Manners has been hired full-time by the thinktank Resolute 1850, now set to be renamed The Centre for a Better Britain.
- The appointment aligns with Reform UK’s goal to broaden its appeal among younger demographics, particularly targeting male voters aged 18-24.
- The thinktank aims to establish a policy agenda that challenges existing political conventions, focusing on economic issues while distancing itself from culture war topics, despite being likened to Far Right movements.
Reform UK thinktank hires YouTube magician and YouTube star in policy and PR push | UK Politics News
A YouTube star has been hired by a think tank supportive of Reform UK as it looks to strengthen Nigel Farage’s policy agenda.
Archie Manners, a comedian and magician who has performed high-profile pranks on celebrities and Just Stop Oil activists, has been hired by Resolute 1850, which is planning to change its name to The Centre for a Better Britain.
It is understood the 32-year-old, whose YouTube channel with fellow influencer Josh Pieters amassed more than one million subscribers, has been hired full-time and will provide social media and communications advice.
Using a magician to convince voters
The hiring of Mr Manners, who worked for Mr Farage during the general election campaign, indicates Reform is hoping to expand its already significant reach with young men.
While most of Reform’s supporters are still older white men, post-election analysis by YouGov found Reform was the third most popular choice for men aged 18-24, alongside the Green Party.
Reform has also been quick to engage with social media platforms, including TikTok, which are popular with Gen Z.
Nigel Farage is on the Scottish campaign trail dismissing claims about his party being racist
The party now boasts nearly 400,000 followers – which is unverified, as thousands have unsubscribed to the party following the exposè on corruption.
But on social media Mr Farage’s own personal TikTok now has over a million followers.
While independent of Reform, Resolute 1850 has strong links to the party through leading figures, including Jonathan Brown – the thinktank’s chief executive and former Reform chief operations officer – who will also seek to raise funds through UK, and possibly, US donors.
Resolute 1850 – Make Britain white again
In its first guise as Resolute 1850 – which the Financial Times reported is a reference to the HMS Resolute Royal Navy ship whose timbers were used to make the US president’s desk in the Oval Office – the thinktank said its mission was to “foster stronger transatlantic relationships and more effective governance”.
Mr Brown said that Resolute 1850, which is due to launch formally by the autumn, was changing its name to the Centre for a Better Britain because “we wanted to be clear on what it did on the tin”.
“What we hope to do is set a policy agenda for the centre right which acknowledges the dire financial state the country is in and the errors that have been made around net zero and pretty much every policy the Labour Party and the Conservative Party are pushing forward, and actually have a desire for a radical break with the consensus of the last 20 years,” he added.
“Our desire is to build up a proper policy base and not be fixated on culture war issues – but to actually look at proper economic fiscal policy, foreign affairs and defence.
“There’s been a lot of enthusiasm around it.”
Mr Brown sought to downplay comparisons between his outfit and equivalent US thinktanks that are independent but supportive of US President Donald Trump, saying the UK had its “own challenges and political climate”.
He said calling Resolute 1850 a British version of MAGA (Make America Great Again) was “easy” but that he “disagreed” with the comparison.