Nigel Farage has been criticised for his decision not to stand in this summer's upcoming general election after the Reform UK Honorary President announced he will not be running for the party this July.
In a statement on social media, Farage said he is "fully supportive" of Richard Tice's leadership, but it is "not the right time" for him to go "any further than that".
Farage also claimed that he wishes to prioritise the US Presidential election this November, and told GB News that it "matters more".
Discussing the move on Friday Night Live, Commentator Mike Parry said he is "very disappointed" by Farage's decision as he is a "true leader" in British politics, despite not having entered the top office.
Parry told GB News host Mark Dolan: "Reform without Nigel Farage is nothing. We saw what happened with UKIP when he left the post.
"I'm very disappointed with Nigel. I like him a lot and I've mixed with him a lot, he's a man of the people."
When asked by Mark if this now gives Reform the opportunity to "step out of Nigel's shadow", Parry fumed that Farage simply "has not been bold enough to step up".
Parry raged: "I'm very disappointed at the way he's exited politics in this country. There is a huge vacuum in politics in this country and he is a true leader. He could have stepped forward."
Nigel has reassured that will be actively campaigning for Reform as a party, but will not be standing as a candidate himself.
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Parry then compared Nigel's decision to former football manager George Graham with his claim that he's got "one great political job left in me, but it's not now".
Parry told GB News: "Reform is now nothing without Nigel. In my view, it's all over for Nigel Farage as any sort of political power in this country."
Also joined on the panel by commentator Aidan Magee, Mark asked Magee what he believes Nigel's "master plan" may be, if he is not running in the election.
Magee revealed: "He has spent enough of his time with parties who aren't ever going to get a sniff of power. We saw it with UKIP. He is not going to lead one of those parties into government. Our system is simply not built for it."
Commentator Jo-Anne Nadler was in disagreement with Parry, and argued that Farage made a "shrewd decision" not to stand for Reform.
Nadler explained: "From what I understand, it would have been quite difficult for him to have suddenly taken over from Richard Tice as leader of Reform.
"I think he would have found himself nominally heading something which potentially isn't going to make that big of a difference in these coming elections.
"And then he would have been saddled with the reputation of having sort of gone down with something that was a bit of a busted flush."
