So, Nigel Farage, leader of Ukip, is a speaker at the American Conservative Political Action (CPAC) alongside such anti-establishment heroes such as Jeb Bush, Newt Gingrich, Sean Hannity (from Fox News), Donald Trump and, best and maddest of all, Sarah Palin.
Yes, you did read it right. Privately educated, former merchant banker (current, if you are a fan of Cockney rhyming slang) right wing politician Farage presents himself as the voice of the anti-establishment. Nowadays, Ukip are all things to all men (I don’t think they know women actually exist, unless they are called Margaret Thatcher) and they have allowed their real politics to be appear to be diluted, at least superficially, in the quest for power, rather like the Liberal Democrats have always done. The truth is rather different, I’m afraid.
Farage’s speech today, before a near empty room, was the usual anti-foreigner, anti-Europe rhetoric, accompanied by the usual scare stories, although he was forced to admit that his own side of the family was descended from the French Hugenots who emigrated to Britain in large numbers and that his wife is a German immigrant (“nobody needs to tell me the dangers of living in a German-dominated household”). A useful reminder that whilst Farage himself descended directly from immigrants and that he is married to an immigrant, his hate-filled, fear-filled xenophobia and Europhobia are directed at others.
By joining the American Tea Party right, Farage nails his colours even more firmly to the mast than ever. This is no friend of the British working and middle classes, despite his political promises that he loves the NHS really and is the man you’ll have a pint with in your local. Clearly and unequivocally, Farage lines up with the far right establishment party of Donald Trump and the Bush family, just like he lines up with all manner of ultra right fruitcakes in the European Parliament (as does the Tory group, to be fair).
The forthcoming election campaign will see some unpleasant incidents because people have worked out what Farage is all about. He has moved into the space vacated by the tanking BNP and projects his gurning ‘everyman’ image, the scourge of the establishment, trying to make extreme things sound quite normal and moderate. That’s what right wing politicians always do, almost always at times of economic uncertainty. Added to that, the growing disenchantment with politicians of all colours, Farage the opportunist has made his move. I suspect that there will be loud protests whenever Farage is present and I fear there may be violence too, which Farage will surely try to use to his advantage. He will adopt the Nick Griffin role and the forces of the ultra left will be on his tail, two ugly sides of the same coin.
Whatever happens, Farage must be defeated. His ugly message of hate and blame fans the flames of disillusion and despair. Yes, politicians must deal with the issues of immigration, like Cameron has so dismally failed (“no ifs, no buts” he said, when promising to reduce immigration which has in fact greatly increased since 2010) but it’s not the over-arching reason for our problems.
A healthy debate, yes. But Farage wants anything but that.
