Donald Trump can’t beat Iran and Nigel Farage can only beat a bin. When it counts, these populists are just losers | Jonathan Freedland

The pattern in both the United States and the United Kingdom reveals a consistent issue: the use of sensational stunts to cover up incompetence and the broken promises made to the voters who once supported them. It is unfortunate that Nigel Farage chose to skip the announcement of his victory in the Clacton byelection, an event that confirmed his return as the MP for the seat he had resigned from just a few weeks prior.

One would think that his return would be celebrated, as it represented the culmination of a stunt, an exercise in politics as a performance. This display was driven by grievances, aiming to incite anger and distract from the real issues that lie beneath these grievances. Farage's action was an attempt to divert attention, evade responsibility, and showcase the talents nationalist populists like him excel at - everything from deflecting scrutiny to distracting and evading accountability.

It is worth noting that Reform UK claimed Farage stayed away due to a "credible threat" to his security from Essex police, a claim quickly dismissed by the police themselves. This claim seems somewhat questionable, given that Farage's explanation for receiving a £5m gift from a Thai crypto billionaire, Christopher Harborne, was that he needed the funds to pay for enhanced security.

It appears that £5m was not sufficient to guarantee safety when standing next to a man dressed as a bin. Jonathan Freedland, a Guardian columnist, continues to investigate these populist trends.