Dear All
One thing about being a good leader is being a good orator,
a handy tool to have in getting your message out. Nigel Farage is a good
orator, he is highly entertaining to watch with countless people posting his
appearances at the EU Parliament and on news outlets. If there is one thing he
can be proud of is his efforts to secure an EU referendum and help to win it.
This was his crowning achievement in his career so far in politics.
Time moves on and people change just as parties do; now Nigel
Farage has decided to quit Ukip over its anti-Muslim 'fixation'. Farage spent
25 years as a member, he made the party sellable to the public, save it from
going under and achieve a fantastic result in the Euro elections.
The reason for quitting is that after 25 years saying he no
longer recognises party as run by Gerard Batten. Since Farage stepped down,
Ukip has had numerous changes of leadership, Diane James, left the post after
18 days. I think her decision to step away was a shame, she had the ability but
felt the role wasn’t for her once the spotlight turned on her.
With public attention comes public hate.
Her replacement, Paul Nuttall led the party and had a disastrous
2017 election, Ukip didn’t do well, because Ukip lack a narrative, and lost
momentum, when you stand for election, it helps to have policies in depth and a
ground campaign. Ukip has had its fair share of disappointment in the selection
of some candidates who turned out to be ‘warmers’.
In politics, you have to understand certain things, one is
playing the game, being a team player; not to put your foot in your mouth,
kissing babies is optional.
The next leader of Ukip, Henry Bolton, was forced out in a
members’ voter over offensive comments made by his girlfriend. Old guy and
young bird, young bird opens her mouth and makes a fool of herself. Henry
Bolton’s career was sunk, another thing in politics is watch who you hang about
with, especially the radioactive types.
Gerald Batten took over the reins of Ukip in February
without a leadership contest, the brief to stabilise the party and reset the
path of direction. In this context, he has made a few decisions which were unusual.
Normally in politics, high profile people who are liabilities or have baggage
are usually kept at arm’s left. Gerald Batten changed that thinking by
supporting Tommy Robinson.
Tommy Robinson is a high profile individual as a result of
his pervious history which includes spells in prison. The same people who
condemn Robinson are the same people who would welcome Nelson Mandela as a hero
with open arms, if Mandela was still alive. Prison can be a setback in politics
as several people have discovered or it could be an asset in the case of
Mandela.
Nigel Farage’s view on Robinson in politics is clear.
“The idea of Tommy Robinson being at the centre of the
Brexit debate is too awful to contemplate.”
That said, people in politics have to recognise that
Robinson has a following, the disenfranchised working class in the Ukip. Where
once these people could turn to a mainstream party for help; they have found
that their voices have been ignored!.
Robinson found a gap in the market.
Having stepped down from Ukip, Nigel Farage has still kept
busy; he has been on TV a lot especially loved by the American Fox News
Channel. It seems former leaders have a tendency to gravitate to TV and Radio studios.
What concerns Farage about Robinson is Batten’s decision to
throw Ukip’s support behind an anti-Brexit demonstration in London
Brexit is at a crucial point, there is a lot of trouble,
other parties attacking the government to attempt to get their agenda moving
forward. The recent defeats of Theresa May’s Government in the Commons is an
example of this, Labour want a general election, the SNP want a second Scottish
referendum, and disgruntled Conservatives hate the Brexit ‘deal’.
Lots of smoke and heat but, little clarity at present!
Finally, when you step away from a political party if you
have been a leader, the best thing to do is let people do their own thing
without comment. Nigel Farage is still an MEP; he is also a TV pundit, once you
go, you go. Nigel Farage may at some point end up in another party, who knows,
as to Ukip, they seem to have a new direction, whether it pans out in terms of
voters is too early to tell. They could end up getting a boost if Brexit goes
sideways, and the public get angry.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
"The same people who condemn Robinson are the same people who would welcome Nelson Mandela as a hero with open arms"
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't have put it any plainer, there is a reason we are getting Tommy Robinson type figures but our political elite are like ostriches burying their heads hoping it will all go away.