Yesterday was a good opportunity for someone leading the EU referendum “No” campaign to make a mark. You know the sort of thing, a bit of EU bashing and announcing a countrywide campaign. A bit of “no brainer”.
Incredibly, Nigel Farage decided to take a really peculiar tack on Today and other outlets:
- He talked down the “No” campaign, saying that it was behind in the campaign and letting the “Yes” campaign rule the airwaves. I mean. Blimey. Why use a precious media slot to do your enemies’ work for them?
- He drew attention to splits in the “No” campaign, treated us to a picture of its internal struggles and appeared to make a pitch to lead it.
I can’t believe someone purporting to be a politician could be so stupid as to waste a media opportunity on such foot-shooting.
It appears that whatever Nigel Farage does, he cannot stop it being about him.
* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
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6 Comments
You have to remember that he has devoted his life to trying to get us out of the eu, so it’s no wonder he’s frustrated. And he’s right – the ‘Out’ campaign are indeed a little behind at the moment.
The Tory eurosceptics won’t show their hand until Cameron has finished his grand tour and their stance will be dictated by whether or not he comes back with meaningful concessions.
As an unwilling subject of the european superstate myself, it’ll be interesting to see how it all pans out.
Nigel Farage hasn’t “devoted his life to getting us out of the EU”. He’s devoted it to mucking about, drinking as much fine wine as humanly possible, and promoting the Farage brand.
Indeed, leaving the EU would remove his raison d’être as well as his income. I’m not saying he’s deliberately sabotaging his own campaign, but nor do I think he’s deeply frustrated that he’s the only part of the “No” show in town – he’s done his best to get rid of rival voices in UKIP, let alone building a broad campaign with non-UKIP eurosceptics. No, he’s just in the business of getting back in the headlines, and if that means blasting fellow “No” people, so be it..
You could listen to Paul Walter,.. or I suppose you could of course listen to the actual event to ascertain the facts?
You don’t need to listen the whole 46 minutes. Listening from (14.50 to 16.55) and (18.80 to 20.08), and (31.18 to 33.27) will be enough to refute what Paul Walter ascribes as fact.
http://digital-ukip.nationbuilder.com/how_no_can_win?utm_campaign=watch_live_feed&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ukip
You mean the 46 minutes that hardly anyone heard? As an astute re-read of my post will reveal, I was actually referring to his appearance on top media spots such as Today, which in that specific case lasted 4 minutes and was exactly as described above. It can be listened to in full at 2′ 35″ here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0648nnc
The great “media wizard” machine guns the No campaign in both feet!
UKIP were unable to provide roving microphones for the audience, or a working mike for their leader.
It is and always has been “all about Nigel”. From the days in the Sixth Form in his posh public school when he annoyed a good number of his teachers with his condemnation of them as “lefties” and ultra-Powellite views, he has never shown any other characteristics to those around him (and those who can see him) but the utmost narcissistic and arrogant demeanour (as the testaments of legions of those who have tried to work with him over the years (particularly if they are of the female gender) have attested). What he undoubtedly is is a superb salesman/”drummer”, but as a politician he is a total lightweight without the slightest interest in heavy lifting admin. work and will always be a footnote when the history of the rightward movement in Europe comes to be written when compared with such figures of real gravitas/importance like Le Pen (daughter, not bruiser dad), Wilders, Haider, Bossi etc.