The return to campaigning ahead of the EU referendum has not gone totally smoothly for every member of the political class, and today the discomfort was all too clear as Nigel “Thirsty” Farage was taken out of his saloon bar comfort zone and subjected to a variety of interrogation techniques with a result suggesting that this particular campaign is progressing not necessarily to his advantage.
(c) Steve Bell 2016
With the Outers’ berth on The Andy Marr Show (tm) already occupied by the more mainstream presence of Michael “Oiky” Gove, the best that Mr Thirsty could do was to be the support act to George Osborne on Peston On Sunday, and here a problem entered: after he had said his piece, whoever was sitting in Critics’ Corner (tm) would be able to pass adverse comment upon his contribution.
With this in mind, Farage might have been better advised not merely to avoid saying that Britain cannot control who comes here from the EU - we can, and do, refuse entry to thousands of EU residents every year for a variety of reasons, including their having acquired a criminal record - but also to tell Robert Peston on the subject of stirring up hatred that “I think I've been a victim of it to be honest with you”.
Yes, Nige was now a victim! So we should “look over there” and not discuss the infamous “Breaking Point” poster, with its Nazi overtones. That was not going to get past one occupant of Critics’ Corner, Labour MP Yvette Cooper, who was a good friend of murdered colleague Jo Cox. She tore Farage off a strip, and laid into anyone not giving the UKIP leader and his views A Very Hard Time Indeed, just to be on the safe side.
That much was bad enough, but then Farage made the journey over to Sky News (“first for breaking wind”) where he was subjected to the further inquisition of Dermot Murnaghan, who, to no surprise at all, also wanted a word with him about That Poster. At first Mr Thirsty was unrepentant: “That poster reflects the truth of what’s going on”. Not in Britain it doesn’t. But he wasn’t finished with the foot-in-mouth just yet.
An innocent MP had been murdered. Farage wished that had not happened. Murnaghan suggested everybody wished that, to which Farage added “Had that not happened, I don’t think we’d have had this kind of row”. This is total bullshit. Social media had already thrown up the similarity to a Nazi attack on Jewish refugees before news came through of the attack on Jo Cox. Linking his poster to that attack is disgraceful.
Nigel Farage is not part of the designated Out group, which is Vote Leave. The problem the Outers have is that he is on the same side as them, whether they like it or not. And he’s such an embarrassment that his only MP, Douglas “Kamikaze” Carswell, has not only joined Vote Leave, but has also disowned that poster. Playing the victim when caught recycling Third Reich propaganda won’t help his cause, either.
Nigel Farage isn’t a victim, he’s a very naughty boy. So no change there, then.
7 comments:
Farage hasn't been "A victim of hate."
He is the subject of hilarity because he's a racist moron.
There's a difference.
I believe in speaking as I find.
The proof can't be denied on what I'm about to say.
Never, ever have I read, heard or seen Nigel Farage speak in malice, out of spite or in a negative and unprofessional way.
It os this very quality that holds him in good stead in the reputation stakes.
He has an impeccable record and this is something that makes me proud of him.
He has refused to be dragged down to gutter levels of desperate rivals and has conducted himself well throughout his career.
He has been on the receiving end of years of abuse and he's kept his head very well.
It's about time it paid off.
I believe in speaking as I find too. I also put my name to my comments.
Over the years I have witnessed Nigel Farage on many occasions. He is good at taking criticism, at going along with the jokes and jibes - up to a point. When he gets cornered...no, not cornered, challenged...he gets angry. He gets aggressive. He turns on those challenging him. He does not defend his comments, or his record (such as it is). Instead he accuses those questioning him of being plants, or in the pay of his 'enemies' (never mind that many of those enemies seem more than willing to give him a public platform).
He has also turned a one-time protest group into an all-encompassing grievance group for the disillusioned and malcontent of modern Britain. After promising to stand down as that party's leader, he backtracked, making it less a political party and more a personality cult.
He is also incompetent. For all his bleatings about the British fishing industry, he did little to fight it's corner as a member of the EU parliament's fisheries committee, preferring instead to get pissed and do publicity stunts.
Still though, I'm sure he's kind to small animals. When he's not hunting them.
Why would they need to put their name?
They aren't saying anything bad.
Perhaps a nerve has previously been struck with you?
Elvis, don't worry about Andy. He's as harmless and opinionated as everyone else.
Take my tip, just read the opinions and leave the personal stuff to somebody else.
Some people - like me - prefer anonymity, others - like Andy - want to post their names. So what?
Here for brownie points or is it scouts?
Dib, dib, dib !
Chabliiiiissssd
I always use my real name.
Well, when I'm not using one that belongs to a terrorist and there's nothing wrong with that. If you think there is then you are a C***.
No. Hiding behind names is not for me.
I only hide behind proxies, websites, loopholes and other countries borders.
There was that time I went on news night and tried to hide in the shadows but realised the joke was on me when they flicked the lights on and I lit up like a Christmas tree.
So, as you can all see, hiding is not for me, it is for cowards and bullies and manipulators of which I am also innocent.
Chabliiisssss
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