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August 17, 2023
William Upton
News
TECH

NYC Wants Govt Employees To Delete TikTok.

New York City, under the advisement of NYC Cyber Command, issued a directive to city employees ordering them to immediately cease accessing the Chinese Communist Party-controlled social media app TikTok on their city-owned devices. Employees were also directed to delete the app within 30 days of the orders issuance (August 16, 2023).

After a review of the TikTok app, NYC Cyber Command determined the popular-if-not-controversial social media app “…posed a security threat to the city’s technical networks.” City officials stressed the need for government workers to always use social platforms and apps in a “secure manner”. The New York state government banned TikTok on all government devices in 2020.

Former President Donald Trump attempted to ban TikTok  in the U.S. outright by issuing an executive order  during the final year of his presidential administration.  The ban came amidst growing concerns about the amount of data ByteDance – TikTok’s China based parent company – had access to and that they might share it with the Chinese Communist Party. TikTok, however, was successful in petitioning the District Court for the District of Columbia to issue a preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from banning the app.

After taking office, President Joe Biden rescinded Trump’s executive order banning the Chinese controlled social media app.

Over the last three years there has been increasing evidence that former President Trump’s concerns regarding TikTok were warranted. Leaked audio recordings confirmed that China-based ByteDance employees were able to access data collected by TikTok – something that TikTok executives had originally stated would not happen. In response to the data access revelations, Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr urged Apple and Google both to remove TikTok from their respective app stores.

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
The National Pulse’s extensive reporting on ByteDance and TikTok over the last several years can provide more background for those who want it
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19 minutes ago
Crime
Immigration

Chinese Student Convicted Over International Rape Spree.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Chinese PhD student, Zhenhao Zou, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 22 years and 227 days after being convicted of drugging and raping 10 women in London, England, and his native China. Evidence suggests there are dozens of additional victims.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zhenhao Zou, a 28-year-old student, and his victims, three of whom have been identified, with police suspecting many more.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Crimes occurred between September 2019 and May 2023 in London and China; sentencing took place at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday, June 19.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The sheer scale of his offending, which spanned two countries, makes him one of the most prolific predators we have ever seen.” – Detective Inspector Richard Mackenzie

🎯IMPACT: Zou’s case highlights ongoing concerns related to migrant crime across the Western world, where foreign nationals have been convicted of offenses from burglary, to rape, to murder.

IN FULL

Zhenhao Zou, a 28-year-old Chinese PhD student, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 22 years and 227 days for drugging and raping 10 women across London, England, and China. The Inner London Crown Court heard that Zou filmed nine of the rapes and kept a trophy box of his victims’ belongings, with police fearing the actual number of victims could be far higher.

Judge Rosina Cottage described Zou as a “very bright young man” who used a “charming mask” to manipulate and hide his predatory behavior. She added that his crimes had “devastating and long-term effects” on the victims. Zou was convicted of 11 counts of rape, three counts of voyeurism, and several related charges, including possession of sedative drugs with intent to commit sexual offenses.

Detective Inspector Richard Mackenzie noted, “The sheer scale of his offending, which spanned two countries, makes him one of the most prolific predators we have ever seen.” Zou, who lived in London as an international engineering student, targeted fellow Chinese students through WeChat and dating apps, inviting them to his flat where he would drug and assault them.

One victim, in her impact statement, said, “I have lost faith in human beings, I have no trust in others. Before this incident, I was not aware that a human could do such evil things.” Another victim described being “haunted” by nightmares of Zou’s actions, stating, “What happened that night is etched into my soul forever.” Scotland Yard revealed that 24 additional women have come forward following media coverage of Zou’s trial, believing they may have been his victims.

Commander Kevin Southworth of the Metropolitan Police encouraged other potential victims to come forward, assuring them they would be treated with “empathy, kindness, and respect.” Police have video evidence of 50 additional victims that they are still attempting to trace, and at least 24 women have already come forward in the wake of his conviction.

In the U.S., the Trump administration is currently moving to increase the vetting of foreign students, particularly from China, who often have ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

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59 minutes ago
Immigration
News

WATCH: Hundreds Storm ICE Field Office, Attack Feds With Fireworks, Blinding Lasers.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Around 250 pro-illegal immigrant rioters stormed a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Portland, Oregon, targeting federal law enforcement with fireworks and lasers.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Protesters, federal agents, and ICE officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: June 2025, at an ICE field office in Portland, Oregon.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We won’t sit idly by and watch these cowards.” – Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

🎯IMPACT: Increased scrutiny of agitators targeting federal immigration enforcement efforts, bolstered by National Guard and regular military forces deployed by President Donald J. Trump.

IN FULL

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that 250 protesters stormed a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Portland, Oregon, launching fireworks and using lasers to blind federal agents. The incident drew significant attention due to the level of violence involved.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin described the event as a “violent targeting” of federal law enforcement. “Last night, Portland rioters violently targeted federal law enforcement—250 rioters launched fireworks, shined lasers in officers’ eyes to temporarily blind them, and stormed an ICE field office,” she stated. “We won’t sit idly by and watch these cowards,” she vowed.

According to the Portland Police Bureau, arrests were made during the chaos. Eduardo Diaz, 22, was detained for allegedly pointing a laser at officers while wearing a ballistic vest and gas mask. He was charged with Unlawful Directing of Light from a Laser Pointer. Another individual, Mariana M. Rivera-Loza, 19, was arrested for trespassing in a restricted area.

Federal agents responded to the attack using flashbang devices and pepperballs. McLaughlin emphasized the challenges faced by law enforcement, citing a 413 percent increase in assaults on officers. “ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she warned.

This incident is just the latest act of violence by far-left extremists against federal agents—a particular problem in Portland, where Antifa members have been mainly shielded from prosecutions at the local level by leftist officials in recent years.

WATCH:

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2 hours ago
Crime
News

Border Patrol Found a Massive Tunnel From Tijuana to the U.S.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Border Patrol agents discovered a sophisticated cross-border smuggling tunnel connecting California to Tijuana, Mexico.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Mexican law enforcement officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The tunnel was discovered in April under the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego, with its entrance in Mexico finally discovered earlier this week.

💬KEY QUOTE: “As we continue to strengthen the nation’s air and maritime border security, it’s not surprising that foreign terrorist organizations would resort to underground routes.” – Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey D. Stalnaker.

🎯IMPACT: The discovery highlights ongoing dangers to the U.S. at the southern border and the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on them.

IN FULL

Border Patrol agents in San Diego, California, have uncovered a sophisticated smuggling tunnel connecting California to Tijuana, Mexico. The tunnel, which reportedly extended over 1,000 feet into the U.S., was discovered by the San Diego Sector Tunnel Team in April under the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

The tunnel, still under construction, included a rail track for moving cargo, as well as electrical wiring, lighting, and ventilation systems. According to officials, the passage was about 50 feet underground at its deepest point and measured 42 inches in height and 28 inches in width.

Jeffrey D. Stalnaker, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the San Diego Sector, stated, “As we continue to strengthen the nation’s air, and maritime border security, it’s not surprising that foreign terrorist organizations would resort to underground routes.” He emphasized the importance of disrupting narcotics smuggling tunnels to safeguard American lives.

Agents encountered makeshift barriers designed to hinder their movement south through the tunnel. However, earlier this week, they identified a possible exit point in Mexico and coordinated with Mexican law enforcement, who later executed a search warrant at a residence in Nueva Tijuana. The tunnel’s entrance was found concealed under freshly laid tile.

Officials believe the tunnel was intended to transport large quantities of drugs into the United States. This discovery comes amidst ongoing efforts to address cross-border smuggling, including legislation passed by the House of Representatives in March requiring annual reports to Congress on such tunnels.

While President Donald J. Trump‘s tougher border policy has led to a massive decline in illegal immigration, drug smuggling remains a problem at the southern border. Last month, a woman was caught smuggling enough fentanyl in her body to easily kill her if the package had leaked in any way.

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2 hours ago
News

Drill, Baby, Drill: Trump to Unlock 82% of Alaskan Petroleum Reserve.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Interior (DOI) has proposed reopening up to 82 percent of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) for oil and gas leasing and development.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Department of Interior, Acting Assistant Secretary Adam Suess, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and the American Petroleum Institute (API).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The draft analysis was released on June 17, 2025. The NPR-A spans 23 million acres in Alaska.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re cutting red tape and restoring commonsense policies that ensure responsible development and good stewardship of our public lands.” – Adam Suess.

🎯IMPACT: The proposal aims to boost domestic energy production, create jobs, and reduce dependence on foreign oil while reversing Biden-era restrictions.

IN FULL

The Department of the Interior (DOI) has released a draft analysis proposing reopening up to 82 percent of the 23-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) to oil and gas leasing. Initially set aside as an emergency oil supply for the U.S. Navy in 1923, the reserve was transferred to the DOI’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1976.

In 2022, the Biden government closed nearly half of the NPR-A to oil and gas drilling, reversing policies from the first Trump administration aimed at boosting energy development. The new DOI proposal reverses these restrictions as part of President Donald J. Trump’s policy push toward regulatory reform and “unleashing American energy dominance.”

Acting Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Adam Suess emphasized the importance of the plan, stating, “Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re cutting red tape and restoring commonsense policies that ensure responsible development and good stewardship of our public lands.” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum criticized a second 2024 Biden-era rule—which closed even more of the NPR-A to drilling—as prioritizing “obstruction over production” and undermining energy independence.

The Biden government’s 2024 rule had closed approximately 11 million acres of the reserve to oil and gas extraction and restricted construction on an additional two million acres. The DOI’s latest proposal includes rescinding both the 2022 and  2024 Biden-era rules. “Congress was clear: the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska was set aside to support America’s energy security through responsible development,” Burgum stated.

The American Petroleum Institute (API)—the largest U.S. trade association for the oil and gas industry—welcomed the move, calling the Biden regulations “misguided.”

Image by Malcolm Manners.

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3 hours ago
Economy
War

Iran Is Poised to Shut a Vital Shipping Route, Here’s What That Could Mean:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Iran has warned it may shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit route, if the U.S. intervenes in its conflict with Israel.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senior Iranian officials, including Ali Yazdikhah and Behnam Saeedi, along with U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements were made on Wednesday and Thursday, with escalating tensions in the Middle East and discussions in Washington, D.C., and Geneva.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If the United States officially and operationally enters the war in support of the Zionists, it is the legitimate right of Iran to disrupt their oil trade’s ease of transit.” – Ali Yazdikhah, a senior Iranian lawmaker.

🎯IMPACT: A closure of the Strait of Hormuz could disrupt global oil markets, prompt a strong military response from regional powers like Saudi Arabia, and escalate the conflict further.

IN FULL

Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for global oil transit, if the United States becomes directly involved in its conflict with Israel. Ali Yazdikhah, a senior Iranian lawmaker, stated, “If the United States officially and operationally enters the war in support of the Zionists, it is the legitimate right of Iran to disrupt their oil trade’s ease of transit.”

Behnam Saeedi, a member of Iran’s National Security Committee presidium, echoed this, saying that closing the strait is “one of the potential options.” The remarks come as tensions rise in the region, with U.S. President Donald J. Trump weighing the possibility of military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime passage that handles approximately 26 percent of the world’s oil trade. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that any disruption to the flow of oil through the strait would have significant consequences for global markets. Historically, Iran has demonstrated its capacity to threaten shipping in the strait, using tactics such as deploying mines and targeting oil tankers during the Iran-Iraq War. Notably, if Iran were to deploy a significant number of mines in the strait’s waters, it could effectively close the passage to ships for the foreseeable future.

Recent satellite photos and shipping analysis indicate that Iran is rapidly moving to fill its oil tanker fleet and disperse it well outside the Persian Gulf and into the open ocean. A bulk of the shipping traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz in recent days is attributed to the Iranian oil tanker fleet departing the country’s primary petroleum storage hub, Kharg Island. Consequently, satellite images of Kharg Island show its oil storage containers all to be near capacity, suggesting Iran intends to fill and disperse as many tanker ships in its fleet as possible before it makes a possible move to mine the waters of the strait.

During Thursday’s White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt read a statement from President Trump, laying out a timeline for potential U.S. action: “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.”  Meanwhile, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned late Wednesday, “The Americans should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.”

Diplomatic efforts remain ongoing, with Germany, France, and Britain set to meet Iranian officials in Geneva on Friday for nuclear talks.

Image via Tasnim News Agency.

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3 hours ago
Christopher Tomlinson
NatSec

Warrior Ethos: Navy Smashes Recruitment Targets Under Trump, Hegseth.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Navy announced it has fulfilled its recruitment goals months ahead of schedule, following a similar announcement from the Army earlier this year.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Navy, Navy Secretary John Phelan, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on June 18, on X.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Those in uniform today are sailing forward, and the next generation is already preparing to take the watch. To our newest sailors, welcome to the fleet.” — Navy Secretary John Phelan.

🎯IMPACT: The recruitment surge shows the positive effects of President Trump’s policies toward the Armed Forces.

IN FULL

The U.S. Navy has announced that it has already met its recruitment goals three months ahead of schedule, just weeks after the U.S. Army made a similar announcement. Navy Secretary John Phelan announced on June 18 that the Navy had added 40,600 new sailors to its ranks.

“This milestone reflects more than numbers. It reflects the drive of our recruiters, the innovation of our team, and the courage of thousands of Americans who stepped forward to serve,” Phelan said. “Those in uniform today are sailing forward, and the next generation is already preparing to take the watch. To our newest sailors, welcome to the fleet,” he added.

The announcement comes after the Army stated earlier this year that it had met recruitment goals months ahead of schedule, with 61,000 fresh recruits recorded.

Under the prior Biden regime, U.S. military branches struggled with recruitment goals, partly due to a shift to focusing on woke issues and diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) policies. For instance, the Army missed recruitment goals by 25 percent in 2022. The situation was exacerbated by Biden having unvaccinated servicemen discharged by the thousands.

Current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced earlier this year that he was more interested in reviving the Armed Forces’ “warrior ethos” and scrapped DEI policies. He also moved to reenlist veterans removed from service for declining to be injected with COVID-19 vaccines.

President Donald J. Trump organized a massive parade last weekend for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army, underscoring his administration’s appreciation for the nation’s military.

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4 hours ago
Economy
Politics

Trump Is Pushing the House to Pass This Senate Crypto Bill, Fast.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Senate passed the GENIUS Act in a 68-30 vote, aiming to position the U.S. as a leader in digital assets.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. Senate, and the House of Representatives.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Senate approved the bill on Tuesday, with Trump urging the House to act on Wednesday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Senate just passed an incredible Bill that is going to make America the UNDISPUTED Leader in Digital Assets — Nobody will do it better, it is pure GENIUS!” – Donald Trump.

🎯IMPACT: The GENIUS Act could establish the U.S. as a global leader in crypto and digital asset innovation.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump late Wednesday urged the House to speedily pass the Senate’s GENIUS Act, arguing it would propel the United States to become the world’s leader on crypto and digital assets. The upper chamber approved the legislation in a 68-30 vote on Tuesday.

The bill would enact new federal guidelines for stablecoins and create a framework for private companies to issue digital dollars. “The Senate just passed an incredible Bill that is going to make America the UNDISPUTED Leader in Digital Assets — Nobody will do it better, it is pure GENIUS! Digital Assets are the future, and our Nation is going to own it,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“We are talking about MASSIVE Investment, and Big Innovation. The House will hopefully move LIGHTNING FAST, and pass a ‘clean’ GENIUS Act,” he continued, adding: “Get it to my desk, ASAP — NO DELAYS, NO ADD ONS. This is American Brilliance at its best, and we are going to show the World how to WIN with Digital Assets like never before!”

Trump’s Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, has lauded the bill, stating that “stablecoins could grow into a $3.7 trillion market by the end of the decade.”

“A thriving stablecoin ecosystem will drive demand from the private sector for US Treasuries, which back stablecoins,” Bessent wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding: “This newfound demand could lower government borrowing costs and help rein in the national debt.”

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5 hours ago
Education
Immigration

Trump Is Increasing Vetting for Foreign Students. Here’s How:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The State Department announced the resumption of student visa application interviews with new social media vetting protocols.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. State Department, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Wednesday, with immediate plans to resume visa interviews.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision.” – U.S. State Department.

🎯IMPACT: Stricter vetting aims to prevent foreigners with anti-American or violent ideologies from entering the U.S. education system.

IN FULL

The State Department will resume granting student visas, but with heightened social media protocols to monitor possible support for terrorism or “a history of political activism” associated with violence or anti-American views. The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it would soon start scheduling student visa application interviews after all new applications were frozen last month. Potential exchange students will be asked to make their social media profiles public to allow for vetting.

“We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security,” the State Department said. “Under new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants.”

The Trump administration has expressed concern about foreign students who have engaged in violent anti-Semitic protests on campuses across the country, as well as Chinese students connected to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the department’s announcement continued, adding: “The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.”

Meanwhile, a cable to American diplomats instructed them to search the social media accounts of students for “any indications of hostility towards the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States,” “advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists and other threats to U.S. national security” and “support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence.” One specific terrorist group they were urged to watch out for was Hamas. The diplomats were also told to determine if “applicants who demonstrate a history of political activism” were associated with violence and asked to “consider the likelihood they would continue such activity in the United States.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the United States does not want to import anti-American agitators to disrupt and undermine the education system. The resumption of student visa application interviews comes after President Donald J. Trump announced last week that the United States would continue to allow Chinese students into the country as part of a trade deal.

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5 hours ago
War

BREAKING: Trump to Decide on Iran Strikes ‘Within Two Weeks.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump will decide on U.S. actions in the Iran-Israel conflict within two weeks, according to the White House.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Iranian and Israeli leaders.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statement made during a White House press briefing on Thursday, June 19.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.” – President Trump.

🎯IMPACT: The statement underscores the possibility of imminent U.S. action in the Middle East if potential diplomatic efforts with Iran do not succeed.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has stated that he will make a decision on U.S. actions in the Iran-Israel conflict “within the next two weeks,” citing the potential for upcoming negotiations with Iran. The comments were relayed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a press briefing on Thursday.

Quoting the President directly, Leavitt said, “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.”

Leavitt also emphasized that President Trump has been consistent in his stance that Iran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. “Nobody should be surprised by the President’s position that Iran absolutely cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. He has been unequivocally clear about this for decades, not just as President, not just as a presidential candidate, but also as a private citizen,” she said.

Referencing past remarks, Leavitt added, “In 2011, President Trump said, ‘America’s primary goal with Iran must be to destroy its nuclear ambitions. We cannot allow this radical regime to acquire a nuclear weapon that they will either use or hand off to terrorists.'”

She also noted that the President had previously issued a 60-day warning to Iran to make a deal, with Israel taking action on day 61.

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5 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
UK

Nigel Farage Is Leaving Britain’s Uniparty in the Dust.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new poll from Find Out Now shows Nigel Farage’s Reform Party leading nationwide with 31 percent support, far ahead of the governing Labour Party and the formerly governing Conservatives (Tories).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Reform, Labour, the Tories, the Find Out Now polling firm, and 2,628 Great British adults surveyed.

📍WHEN & WHERE: June 2025, United Kingdom.

🎯IMPACT: The findings represent a seismic shift in British politics and show Reform may be on course to dethrone Labour and the Conservatives, who have led every British government since 1915.

IN FULL

A stunning new national poll shows Nigel Farage’s Reform Party building an increasingly strong position at the top of Britain’s political landscape, surpassing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer‘s Labour Party and the formerly governing Conservatives. The poll, conducted by Find Out Now, surveyed 2,628 Great British adults, and shows Reform UK polling at 31 percent—far ahead of Labour, at 23 percent, and the Conservatives, at an abysmal 16 percent.

The Liberal Democrats come in at 12 percent, with the Greens at 11 percent. The Scottish National Party (SNP), formerly led by the notorious Humza Yousaf, registered three percent, with “Other” at two percent, and the Welsh independence party Plaid Cymru at one percent.

Reform’s rise appears to coincide with growing disaffection among former Conservative voters, after the party governed from the left and oversaw an unprecedented surge in mass migration from 2010 to mid-2024, and widespread frustration with Labour’s punishing tax policies and failures on illegal immigration. The polling firm notes that the sample is representative across Great Britain—Northern Ireland has a unique party landscape—by sex, age, region, ethnicity, and voting history, and excludes those who said they would not vote or who were undecided.

Reform’s leader, Brexit champion Nigel Farage, has consistently called for tougher immigration controls, tax cuts, and energy independence.

Image courtesy of Stuart Mitchell, IncMonocle.

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