Nigel Farage shows UKIP to be nothing but a one-man show after reneging on his promise to stand down and illustrates that all political careers do indeed end in failure also
Nigel Farage continues to claim that he’s a man of his word despite reneging on his promise to stand down as leader of UKIP if he lost in the South Thanet constituency. Using the excuse that the party’s NEC “overwhelmingly refused [his] resignation” this hypocrite remarked in Monday’s The Telegraph that “the party comes before me” and that he has “done the right thing”. He is wrong.
In remaining, Farage has shown himself to be the exact opposite of the man he’s spent years cultivating himself as. As an anti-establishment figure with a belief in standing for all that politicians are not, this former commodity broker’s message resonated with many. Now, in breaking such a major promise, he’s destroyed that reputation in one fell swoop and now Nigel Farage will be remembered as nothing but “just another lying politician”.
Never have Enoch Powell’s words rung truer: All political careers do indeed end in failure.
Subscribe to our free once daily email newsletter here:
When you get 4.5 million votes you must be doing or saying something right.
So what is so reprehensible about UKIP policy?
* Farage wants to expand the number of grammar schools: the best possible route for ensuring bright children from poor families get an education that allows them to fulfil their potential. Is that so bad?
* UKIP says we should have the opportunity to decide whether we wish to remain part of what we know to be a failing and costly European Union. Do you think, like Ed Miliband, that we are all too stupid to be allowed to decide our country’s future?
* UKIP wants to introduce the same sorts of immigration quotients and qualifcations that other countries, such as Australia, Canada, the US and Japan, have embraced for decades…so nothing so reactionary in this commonsense policy.
* UKIP says no immigrant should be allowed to claim benefits until they have paid taxes for five years….sounds common sense to me.
* UKIP wants to stop health tourism which stresses the NHS and diverts resources from British Citizens: is that a bad idea?
Farage suggests we try to foster better trade relations with the enormous markets of the Commonwealth…sounds sensibe to me.
This article is plain silly and rather childlike.
Many heads of organisations offer to resign, yet are forced by stakeholders to recant: that is exactly what has happened.
You may not like Farage but he, unlike many other politicians, has convictions. Maybe you just don’t like sincerity
Farage can and does promise whatever he wants and whatever he thinks will resonate. The reason is simple: He knows he’ll never have to deliver. The power of someone in that position is of course going to appeal to the base level of ignoramuses that vote for him and UKIP.
Matthew….that comment demeans you. Why not address the points I made?
Of course, he cannot deliver, but even now you can see this government is reacting to the fact that 4.5 million British voters decided not to vote Tory.
We now have a government whose resove has been stiffened.
His protest party is falling apart. The BBC reporter who used the “c” word yesterday summed it up. Watch that. It will put you right.
….and, of course, we all know that the BBC absolutely adores UKIP and Farage…..
I think Farage has done a brilliant job. I didn’t vote for him but for him but give him his due, to get just shy of 4 million votes and come third in numbers of votes, beating one of the three main parties and the landslide of SNP in Scotland, he’s proven his place in with the big boys. If we were looking at proportional seats to votes, ukip would have had a significant presence in the HoC. When was the last time a party other than the big three managed that kind of result?
I think him picking up the baton has done him no harm at all and it won’t make any difference. He’s not the only politician to have changed his mind on something and given that it’s not that he was backing down on any of his policies, it’s neither here nor there.
I think a lot of his negative press is smears from worried people. All it is is accusations of racism and similar. They’ve proven where they stand on racism by tackling any incidents head on. Anyway, almost 4 million people have seen through this. If we all believed anything we read in the papers then we’d never vote.
I think we need new blood (obviously not the majority) and new ideas in the HoC. It’s been the way it is for a very long time. Times are changing and so must our politics.
Well put