Thank you, Nigel Farage
Monday, July 04, 2016
UKIP leader Nigel Farage stands down - BBC News.
The nation owes Nigel Farage a debt. He has endured years of abuse on behalf of the majority of British people who never wanted EU political union. We instinctively favour free trade. We recognise that only governments inhibit it. We tend to favour progress towards it, even if only incremental. That was the basis on which we were persuaded to vote for continued membership in 1975. We were offered a common European economic space without tariff or non-tariff legal barriers to trade and we accepted that offer.
But the offer was a lie. Our leaders lied to us then and they have been lying ever since. The EU was always intended to progress by "ever closer union" to a federal superstate. Most of our establishment both knew and bought into that. To be more precise they were bought into that as the Brussels machine actively sought to make politicians like Mandelson and Kinnock rich in return for switching their loyalty. Betray your voters to us, ran the promise, lie to them and deny the ultimate goal while we move steadily towards it under cover of your disinformation, and when your political career ends in the usual failure, we will see you right.
For the last 43 years, if you pointed out these truths, the establishment derided and defamed you. You were called a fascist, a bigot, a racist and a fool. You were "fruit cakes", "Little Englanders" and "bastards". All for saying what the British people felt in what was supposed to be a democratic nation. Farage and his people walked through great storms of establishment shit on our behalf.
He sacrificed his business career to speak as well as he could for the unrepresented majority. He endured slanders and worse. He has made his mistakes, as an honest man in the sewers of professional politics was bound to do and as he freely admits. But he stood up for what he believed in. Without him and his party of "fruit cakes" the establishment would have denied us our voice forever.
We owe him thanks. When the new reality is finally accepted (and politicians will soon come to realise that they deny it at their peril) I hope the government will acknowledge that on our behalf with a peerage. There is a village near where I grew up in Wales called Hope. I suggest Lord Farage of Hope would be an apt title.
Welcome back! Good suggestions as ever.
Posted by: Tom | Wednesday, July 06, 2016 at 11:31 AM
Fourth of July, I was meandering through the internet trying to find respite from the post-Brexit referendum, reading reports of a more republican nature I stumble on an old favourite-Tom Paine-where lo and behold a resurrection has occurred.
Perhaps the original Tom Paine's bones have at last been located and formed into our ultra-logical host. Whatever the cause, welcome back Tom, what an extraordinarily pleasant surprise.
Having come here, perhaps I should address myself to the current post. Farage reminds me a little of Wat Tyler of Kent. He of the original peasants revolt (and is there any doubt that the referendum is in large part a peasants revolt, shaking off decades of labour and conservative ignorance of the electorate's desires).
Perhaps Lord Farage of Smithfield, (which just might teach some of our millenial ignoramuses some history of Wat Tyler, alternatively the obvious one Lord Farage of Thanet, but my favourite would be Lord Farage, Marquis of Granby (apparently his favourite pub.)
Posted by: Cascadian | Monday, July 04, 2016 at 11:15 PM
I'd much prefer to see a blatant wrong made right.
The prat who "won" Thanet may suddenly want to resign his seat for "family reasons".
http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/02/nigel-farage-could-end-up-being-an-mp-after-all-5920535/
Methinks Boris'd like that.
Posted by: Smoking Scot | Monday, July 04, 2016 at 10:13 PM
I humbly submit my own piece about those 43 years and the task ahead:
http://www.talkmarkets.com/content/brexit-these-are-the-times-that-try-mens-souls?post=99141
Posted by: Sackerson | Monday, July 04, 2016 at 08:35 PM
I think he would struggle to cope with being called "your Grace". And I mean that as a compliment. :-)
Posted by: Tom | Monday, July 04, 2016 at 03:10 PM
I certainly salute Nigel Farage for what he has achieved and done for this country virtually all by himself. As noted by OldYeoman I too cannot think of anyone who has had such a positive impact upon this country as Mr Farage.
I would have liked him to have stayed on until either Article 50 had been invoked or, at least negotiation on leaving the EU had begun. As I feel some one needs to still hold our politicians to account least there is any back sliding or, attempts to divert the will of the people on the result of the referendum.
As for recognition of his services to his country I feel Her Maj should make an exception by offering him an honourary dukedom or an earldom. Thus leapfrogging the cesspit that is the "other" house.
Posted by: barnacle bill | Monday, July 04, 2016 at 02:52 PM
Alas, it's probably more likely that he's doomed to die in Caergwrle...
Have been trying to think of someone who has had a bigger impact on the course of our country in the past 30 years. Struggling.
Posted by: OldYeoman | Monday, July 04, 2016 at 01:17 PM
Will he get his peerage or will the establishment even deny him that.
Posted by: Antisthenes | Monday, July 04, 2016 at 11:24 AM