Political commentator Charlie Downes tells Matt Frei that, whether you agree with his Russia comments or not, Nigel Farage is doing what other ‘mainstream politicians’ are afraid to do – ‘speaking his mind’. Downes, who is in favour of creating a Reform UK party youth group, says that nobody can deny Farage is ‘dissenting against the orthodoxy.’ He tells Matt, “A conversation isn’t allowed to be had. It just turns into: ‘Oh, he’s a Putin apologist.'” His comments come after the Reform UK Leader said the West had provoked Russia into invading Ukraine. Farage said the “ever-eastward expansion” of NATO and the European Union had given the Kremlin “an excuse” to move troops across the border.