Nigel Farage to leave LBC Radio 'with immediate effect' [Post#39]

[shane]

Nigel Farage has suggested a second EU referendum should be held to silence "whingeing, whining, moaning" Remainers.

The former UKIP leader tweeted: "Maybe, just maybe, we should have a second referendum on EU membership. It would kill off the issue for a generation once and for all."

It followed comments he made on television talk show The Wright Stuff.

Mr Farage said: "What is for certain is that the Cleggs, the Blairs, the Adonises will never, ever, ever give up.

"They will go on whingeing and whining and moaning all the way through this process.

"So maybe, just maybe, I'm reaching the point of thinking that we should have a second referendum…on EU membership."

The 53-year-old added: "The percentage that would vote to leave next time would be very much bigger than it was last time round.

"We may just finish the whole thing off and (Tony) Blair can disappear off into total obscurity."

Leave.EU campaign co-founder and major UKIP donor Arron Banks has backed Mr Farage's call for a second referendum, insisting Leave "would win by a landslide".

"If we do not act radically now, we will sleepwalk into a faux Brexit, in name only," he said.

"True Brexiteers have been backed into a corner and the only option now is to go back to the polls and let the people shout from the rooftops their support of a true Brexit."

Despite this, UKIP leader Henry Bolton said his party opposes another vote as it would be "damaging to the nation".

In response to Mr Farage's comments, Lord Malloch Brown, who chairs Best for Britain which opposes Brexit, said: "Bring it on."

Lord Brown claimed another vote was something "the country needs", adding: "Every day we see the disaster of Brexit as we see its impact on our economy, jobs, communities and our society.

"With these comments, Nigel Farage is disowning the chaos that trying to leave the EU has wrought on this country."

Another staunch Remainer, Labour MP Chuka Umunna, said: "For perhaps the first time in his life, Nigel Farage is making a valid point.

"In a democracy like ours, the British people have every right to keep an open mind about Brexit."

Meanwhile, in a reference to the 2010 leaders' debate, Nick Clegg tweeted: "I agree with Nigel".

https://news.sky.com/story/nigel-farage-we-should-have-a-second-referendum-on-brexit-11203281

 

[shane]

I am suspicious of Nigel "the showpony" Farage's motivation, but I think it's a great idea!

What do you think?

 

[s28]

Would only make UK look like a laughing stock and Farage would be proved right.

I expect 60-40 LEAVE:REMAIN but with turnout of only 30% because nobody actually cares except the Hard Remainers and Hard Brexiteers who are both as bad as each other

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Don’t really care if we leave or remain anymore, I just wish we’d get on with it either way. This constant debate about Brexit is so tedious. If there was a second referendum I wouldn’t bother voting because if it’s another close result who is to say there won’t be a 3rd referendum?

 

[Markhor]

There should be a referendum on Single Market membership - the June 16 referendum was too vague and did not state whether voting Leave meant leaving the Single Market too.

You can not be a member of the EU but remain in the Single Market, i.e. the Norway model, which is the best bet for the UK economy instead of this disasterous course this government is taking due to ideological reasons.

EU will not give us a special bespoke deal - Theresa May seems intent on having to learn this out the hard way.

 

[R3verse Swing]

Love it. The Remoaners were claiming Farage was full of lies and deceit, but today Farage speaks sense according to Remoaners!

Get over it, UK voted to leave, and UK is leaving. Democracy won!

To remind people, Farage has no power to instigate a referendum, he merely offers his opinion.

What if Remain win in the 2nd referendum? Let's have another to make it best out of 3! What if Leave wins? Remoaners will continue to moan!

Plus, holding referendums should be on a generation basis, and not on a yearly-esque basis, for the simple reason it leaves UK in limbo in uncertainty.

Just get on with leaving the EU.

 

[Markhor]

Love it. The Remoaners were claiming Farage was full of lies and deceit, but today Farage speaks sense according to Remoaners!

Get over it, UK voted to leave, and UK is leaving. Democracy won!

To remind people, Farage has no power to instigate a referendum, he merely offers his opinion.

What if Remain win in the 2nd referendum? Let's have another to make it best out of 3! What if Leave wins? Remoaners will continue to moan!

Plus, holding referendums should be on a generation basis, and not on a yearly-esque basis, for the simple reason it leaves UK in limbo in uncertainty.

Just get on with leaving the EU.

Last time I checked - in a democracy you can continue to voice your opinions even after an election or referendum. The SNP still argue for Scottish Independence despite the 2014 Referendum. Ian Paisley whinged ceaselessly despite the referendum result on the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. I disagree with both views but that's their right.

After 1975, the anti-EEC voices didn't shut up "because democracy". Infact they kept campaigning for 41 years until their fantasy was fulfilled. That's democracy - so spare the lectures.

Anyone with a cursory understanding of the EU knows there are different kinds of relationships for non-members with the EU - there's the EEA (which prominent Brexiteers like Peter Hitchens and Pete Young support), EFTA or a Canadian style FTA.

In the last referendum campaign, which was appallingly conducted by both sides, these alternative arrangements were not substantively discussed. Nor were they properly fleshed out by an arrogant Conservative government that thought they'd stroll to victory.

 

[R3verse Swing]

Last time I checked - in a democracy you can continue to voice your opinions even after an election or referendum. The SNP still argue for Scottish Independence despite the 2014 Referendum. Ian Paisley whinged ceaselessly despite the referendum result on the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. I disagree with both views but that's their right.

After 1975, the anti-EEC voices didn't shut up "because democracy". Infact they kept campaigning for 41 years until their fantasy was fulfilled. That's democracy - so spare the lectures.

Anyone with a cursory understanding of the EU knows there are different kinds of relationships for non-members with the EU - there's the EEA (which prominent Brexiteers like Peter Hitchens and Pete Young support), EFTA or a Canadian style FTA.

In the last referendum campaign, which was appallingly conducted by both sides, these alternative arrangements were not substantively discussed. Nor were they properly fleshed out by an arrogant Conservative government that thought they'd stroll to victory.

Democracy guarantees the voice of the minority. Democracy does not mean holding a referendum each year. Shall we have another General Election this year because the previous result was a shock?

You refer to 1975, UK did not hold a referendum to join the EU, but a referendum to join the EEC, which technically was decided in 1973. There on, Treaty of Rome, Maastricht, and Lisbon were not offered to the public but were implemented through stealth. Were these treaties fleshed out in public? No.

Meaning, democracy preserves the right for voices to be heard, but does not guarantee that minority voices will be implemented.

 

[Robert]

Bring it on. This time Remain will win. More people have more understanding now.

 

[Robert]

Democracy guarantees the voice of the minority. Democracy does not mean holding a referendum each year. Shall we have another General Election this year because the previous result was a shock?

.

Up to the PM. Or if the DUP stops supporting the Tories. Or if they lose a bunch of by-elections.

Plebiscites are different of course.

 

[IMMY69]

I’d definitely vote to remain!!!

 

[IMMY69]

Democracy guarantees the voice of the minority. Democracy does not mean holding a referendum each year. Shall we have another General Election this year because the previous result was a shock?

You refer to 1975, UK did not hold a referendum to join the EU, but a referendum to join the EEC, which technically was decided in 1973. There on, Treaty of Rome, Maastricht, and Lisbon were not offered to the public but were implemented through stealth. Were these treaties fleshed out in public? No.

Meaning, democracy preserves the right for voices to be heard, but does not guarantee that minority voices will be implemented.

When the original exit campaign was based on lies I think it would be right to have another referendum.

 

[IMMY69]

Would only make UK look like a laughing stock and Farage would be proved right.

I expect 60-40 LEAVE:REMAIN but with turnout of only 30% because nobody actually cares except the Hard Remainers and Hard Brexiteers who are both as bad as each other

I think it would 60:40 to remain.
With no chance of a referendum I think a lot of the reminders started to accept the situation.
This would change dramatically if a referendum was announced

 

[R3verse Swing]

Bring it on. This time Remain will win. More people have more understanding now.

According to some polls, Leave will win with a greater margin. Though having said this, the polls were wrong about Trump, EU Referendum, and GE 2017.

 

[R3verse Swing]

When the original exit campaign was based on lies I think it would be right to have another referendum.

Sounds like any election.

But feel free to outline the lies.

Remain said the economy would collapse. Oh wait, British manufacturing is at the highest level since 2008, record unemployment. Did I forget to mention the FTSE hit an ALL TIME high today!?

 

[James]

Pointless to do it because Leave would win again, this time by a bigger margin, although maybe that is why Farage wants it to happen.

 

[Slog]

Don’t really care if we leave or remain anymore, I just wish we’d get on with it either way. This constant debate about Brexit is so tedious. If there was a second referendum I wouldn’t bother voting because if it’s another close result who is to say there won’t be a 3rd referendum?

off topic but always wondered this.

are you indian living and working in britain or british indian (as in second or third generation born there etc)

 

[IMMY69]

Sounds like any election.

But feel free to outline the lies.

Remain said the economy would collapse. Oh wait, British manufacturing is at the highest level since 2008, record unemployment. Did I forget to mention the FTSE hit an ALL TIME high today!?

That’s a whole load of nonsense.

 

[Robert]

Pointless to do it because Leave would win again, this time by a bigger margin,

Why do you think this?

 

[Robert]

According to some polls, Leave will win with a greater margin. Though having said this, the polls were wrong about Trump, EU Referendum, and GE 2017.

If so then so be it, and I will shut up.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Bring it on. This time Remain will win. More people have more understanding now.

I agree. I saw this as Farage getting cold feet, hoping that the last referendum would get overturned. That way he and his chums like Boris Johnson could go back to being protestors raging against the authorities instead of being seen as responsible for what will probably be a disastrous decision long term for Britain.

 

[R3verse Swing]

That’s a whole load of nonsense.

It's not. Check BBC business news.

Of course you would say that because Project Fear turned out to be the biggest lie of them all.

Just let me know of the lies the leave campaign were espousing.

 

[R3verse Swing]

Pointless to do it because Leave would win again, this time by a bigger margin, although maybe that is why Farage wants it to happen.

It's pointless for another reason.

Lets assume a 2nd referendum is held, and Remain wins. This has ramifications are beyond belief. It means that democracy is dead in this country. The people have spoken, and a nation that takes pride in its democratic values, the original decision will be overturned. The people will never trust the system or the government again. We may as live in a totalitarian society where the government ignores the wishes of the people!

It is time the people unite, and get on with the Brexit. Yes there are winners and losers, but change is never easy.

 

[R3verse Swing]

If so then so be it, and I will shut up.

Respectfully, why not *shut up* after the 1st referendum?

 

[Markhor]

It's not. Check BBC business news.

Of course you would say that because Project Fear turned out to be the biggest lie of them all.

Just let me know of the lies the leave campaign were espousing.

I had my own issues with the Remain campaign (Cameron wanting to be the face of it; the Treasury's doomsday scenarios; Goldman Sachs releasing statements) but the Leave campaign were just as bad.

All the scaremongering about Turkey joining the EU and £350m a week for the NHS (which even Farage admits was ridiculous) were two examples.

 

[James]

Why do you think this?

Partly theoretical and partly factual.

Theoretical because the decision has already been made, and most [not all - most] people in the country have accepted this, so the surge of Leave voters would (in my opinion) be even greater this time to ensure that the notion of democracy in Britain lives on.

I always find it interesting that the EU is about as antidemocratic a system as one could dream up - and the ideological Remain side, full of perfectly rational people actually, seems to be taking an equally antidemocratic approach to the result of the EU Referendum.

Try reading David Schneider’s Twitter feed for example - a fantastically witty, intelligent and self-effacing guy, who represents a religious minority (Judaism) in an appropriately humorous and respectable manner - a successful, articulate person with a long unblemished career and no history of irrational discourse whatsoever - and yet suddenly he seeks to ignore the will of millions, upon millions, of Britons because of nothing more than his own personal opinion. He has tens of thousands of followers, an influential person, and he has chosen to suspend his real life to digitally campaign for a political “dead stick”. A nonsense situation. The EU seemingly does funny things to the minds of normal, decent people. You too Robert apparently!

(Perhaps EU supporters are just quite antidemocratic people, liberal-fascist types? Who knows.) Anyway - that was the theoretical element.

Now for the factual element: the 2017 General Election.

Last year we arguably reentered the arena of a two-party political system, like in the United States, in our case for the first time in decades. 85%+ of the electorate now seems to be either Labour or Conservative. The continued polling supports this shift. Both of these parties stood for Brexit last year and they got record numbers of votes.

If there was really, truly a nationwide drive to overturn the Leave vote, then in June last year there would have been more votes for the parties who wanted either a second poll and / or to Remain. But nobody voted for them - even less than usual. The Greens, a very reasonable bunch of ladies and chaps, got completely rinsed, and the once popular Liberal Democrats [and their homophobic hardcore-Christian spearhead] turned in a miserable collective performance - they are left with a leader now who is one heavy fall away from being admitted to a care home.

Britain is leaving the EU. Like it or not I respect your opinion. But we are absolutely and unequivocally leaving. It really is time to accept it.

 

[R3verse Swing]

All the scaremongering about Turkey joining the EU and £350m a week for the NHS (which even Farage admits was ridiculous) were two examples.

Well, it didn't help when Cameron refused to say whether UK would veto Turkey's EU membership. Secondly UK hasn't left the EU so the NHS claim has yet to be tested, but I do know this, the divorce bill amounts to around £350 Million a week.

 

[Robert]

Partly theoretical and partly factual.

Theoretical because the decision has already been made, and most [not all - most] people in the country have accepted this, so the surge of Leave voters would (in my opinion) be even greater this time to ensure that the notion of democracy in Britain lives on.

I always find it interesting that the EU is about as antidemocratic a system as one could dream up - and the ideological Remain side, full of perfectly rational people actually, seems to be taking an equally antidemocratic approach to the result of the EU Referendum.

Try reading David Schneider’s Twitter feed for example - a fantastically witty, intelligent and self-effacing guy, who represents a religious minority (Judaism) in an appropriately humorous and respectable manner - a successful, articulate person with a long unblemished career and no history of irrational discourse whatsoever - and yet suddenly he seeks to ignore the will of millions, upon millions, of Britons because of nothing more than his own personal opinion. He has tens of thousands of followers, an influential person, and he has chosen to suspend his real life to digitally campaign for a political “dead stick”. A nonsense situation. The EU seemingly does funny things to the minds of normal, decent people. You too Robert apparently!

(Perhaps EU supporters are just quite antidemocratic people, liberal-fascist types? Who knows.) Anyway - that was the theoretical element.

Now for the factual element: the 2017 General Election.

Last year we arguably reentered the arena of a two-party political system, like in the United States, in our case for the first time in decades. 85%+ of the electorate now seems to be either Labour or Conservative. The continued polling supports this shift. Both of these parties stood for Brexit last year and they got record numbers of votes.

If there was really, truly a nationwide drive to overturn the Leave vote, then in June last year there would have been more votes for the parties who wanted either a second poll and / or to Remain. But nobody voted for them - even less than usual. The Greens, a very reasonable bunch of ladies and chaps, got completely rinsed, and the once popular Liberal Democrats [and their homophobic hardcore-Christian spearhead] turned in a miserable collective performance - they are left with a leader now who is one heavy fall away from being admitted to a care home.

Britain is leaving the EU. Like it or not I respect your opinion. But we are absolutely and unequivocally leaving. It really is time to accept it.

I was for Leave with 48 hours to go before I had an epiphany. I suppose I have the zeal of the convert.

I am appalled by the distorting effect of Cambridge Analytica and Putin on the vote. I can see this country turning nasty after we Brexit, unless we stay in the CU and SM which is an outcome I could accept. Otherwise our economy will shrink, there will be more austerity, fewer real jobs and the fascists will start to march in earnest. There will be open racism and Islamophobia on the streets. I am already telling my friends to get out of the cities.

The reason there has been no drive for a second ref is that very many Labour voters think Corbyn is for Remain and will save them, against all the evidence. Now he is being rumbled and we are picking up some Labourites, and Bright Blue Tories too. How that will shape the Party remains to be seen, but I suspect re-entry to the EU as a long-term goal. That will mean accepting the Euro and Schengen though. We really do have the best possible position right now and we are throwing it away.

Farron got found out in the election. I like him but wasn’t good enough, and his adherence to Bronze Age concepts does not translate well into modern morality so he gets called a homophobe despite voting to liberate gays. Sir Vince is intellectually brilliant but does not have the common touch - should have gone for Jo Swinson, but she has a young kid now. I think Sir Vince will steer through the choppy Brexit waters, then Jo will take over.

 

[Robert]

Well, it didn't help when Cameron refused to say whether UK would veto Turkey's EU membership. Secondly UK hasn't left the EU so the NHS claim has yet to be tested, but I do know this, the divorce bill amounts to around £350 Million a week.

 

[R3verse Swing]

View attachment 78167

Great sound bite. Exit Brexit! Had a ring to it, no doubt!

Since it is the season to be blaming Brexit everything since the referendum, do you think Carillion’s collapse is because of Brexit? I only ask because The Times, the Guardian, and LBC elude so.

 

[R3verse Swing]

I was for Leave with 48 hours to go before I had an epiphany. I suppose I have the zeal of the convert.

I am appalled by the distorting effect of Cambridge Analytica and Putin on the vote. I can see this country turning nasty after we Brexit, unless we stay in the CU and SM which is an outcome I could accept. Otherwise our economy will shrink, there will be more austerity, fewer real jobs and the fascists will start to march in earnest. There will be open racism and Islamophobia on the streets. I am already telling my friends to get out of the cities.

The reason there has been no drive for a second ref is that very many Labour voters think Corbyn is for Remain and will save them, against all the evidence. Now he is being rumbled and we are picking up some Labourites, and Bright Blue Tories too. How that will shape the Party remains to be seen, but I suspect re-entry to the EU as a long-term goal. That will mean accepting the Euro and Schengen though. We really do have the best possible position right now and we are throwing it away.

Farron got found out in the election. I like him but wasn’t good enough, and his adherence to Bronze Age concepts does not translate well into modern morality so he gets called a homophobe despite voting to liberate gays. Sir Vince is intellectually brilliant but does not have the common touch - should have gone for Jo Swinson, but she has a young kid now. I think Sir Vince will steer through the choppy Brexit waters, then Jo will take over.

I agree with parts of your statement. The UK will turn nasty, but the reality is that racism, homophobia, and islamophobia were already percolating in the UK, in fact I would go as far as saying this was the case long before the EU referendum.

From my perspective, the crash of 2008 lead to austerity and the UK voted for a coalition, the first since after WW2. A rarity in the UK, but none the less it was an opportunity.

For sure, we were in new territory in the political realm, but Liberal Democrats let themselves down, or rather Nick Clegg. Liberal Democrats had an opportunity to make a change, to make a difference, but after 60 odd years, *Sir* Nick Clegg completely torpedoed the opportunity. Reneging on Student fees didn’t help.

The situation for Liberal Democrats was such that Tim Farron had to resign due to his religious views. Kind of an irony considering he was a leader of a liberal party. Sir Vince Cable, he may be wise, but is too old, and lacks the longevity to develop his party and most importantly doesn’t appeal to the younger generations of remainers. Begs the question, why is the party not appointing a young leader? Perhaps there is none?

I feel Liberal Democrats sense their only chance to gain traction is to oppose Brexit. Sarah Olney beat Zach Goldsmith in Richmond, but the victory was a false hope as we know how the 2015, and 2017 elections turned out.

Sir vince may provide guidance, but I do not believe he can steer UK through Brexit simply because he doesn’t appeal to the larger demographic whom voted remain.

 

[Robert]

I agree with parts of your statement. The UK will turn nasty, but the reality is that racism, homophobia, and islamophobia were already percolating in the UK, in fact I would go as far as saying this was the case long before the EU referendum.

Begs the question, why is the party not appointing a young leader? Perhaps there is none?

Someone younger has to be prepared to stand.

As I said I would have gone for Swinson but there was no contest as only Sir Vince stood.

Lib Dems have to rebuild a core vote based on Europeanism, environmentalism, devolved Government and personal freedom. There are lots of new members which will translate into more Councillors and fresh faces coming up.

 

[IMMY69]

Not sure if anyone caught Nigel Farag’s LBC show yesterday morning. His guest was Alistair Campbell and imho he tore a new hole in Farages backside with respect to Brexit.

 

[James]

Great sound bite. Exit Brexit! Had a ring to it, no doubt!

Since it is the season to be blaming Brexit everything since the referendum, do you think Carillion’s collapse is because of Brexit? I only ask because The Times, the Guardian, and LBC elude so.

Of course they would say that: the Guardian overall leans towards Remain, the Times is a Murdoch-run establishment mouthpiece (therefore pro Remain) and LBC is rabidly anti-Brexit.

 

[Robert]

Not sure about that [MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION]. Murdoch is a Leaver like most billionaires and The Sun was for Brexit. He might give The Times editor his head to appear balanced. LBC has one Remain presenter in JOB, probably another in Maajid but the rest are Leavers IIRC.

 

[R3verse Swing]

This is interesting.

£350m Brexit claim was 'too low', says Boris Johnson

I think he has a point. The divorce bill of £40 Billion for 2 years transition equates to roughly £416M a week.

 

[R3verse Swing]

Not sure about that [MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION]. Murdoch is a Leaver like most billionaires and The Sun was for Brexit. He might give The Times editor his head to appear balanced. LBC has one Remain presenter in JOB, probably another in Maajid but the rest are Leavers IIRC.

JOB was the best presenter on LBC. I say best, because since Brexit, he has become a one trick pony and can be annoying. I sure miss his mystery hour!

 

[Big Mac]

I agree. I saw this as Farage getting cold feet, hoping that the last referendum would get overturned. That way he and his chums like Boris Johnson could go back to being protestors raging against the authorities instead of being seen as responsible for what will probably be a disastrous decision long term for Britain.

Nail on head.

 

[MenInG]

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage will no longer host his LBC Radio show "with immediate effect", the broadcaster has announced.

In a statement posted on Twitter, LBC said: "Nigel Farage's contract with LBC is up very shortly and, following discussions with him, Nigel is stepping down from LBC with immediate effect.

"We thank Nigel for the enormous contribution he has made to LBC and wish him well."

The Nigel Farage Show, which began in January 2017, was broadcast on LBC five days a week and saw the Brexit Party leader taking calls from members of the public as part of a discussion of current affairs.

Mr Farage hosted his show as recently as Wednesday evening.

LBC and its parent company, Global Radio, had been criticised for their employment of Mr Farage.

It came after the companies said they would observe a minute's silence to mark the death of George Floyd in US police custody.

In a statement, they also promised to "make a sustained effort to evolve for the better".

Following weekend protests in the UK over Mr Floyd's killing in Minneapolis, Mr Farage claimed a "new form of the Taliban was born in the UK".

He also described the Black Lives Matter group as "a far-left Marxist organisation that wants to abolish the police and dismantle capitalism".

Mr Farage's comments were reported to have angered some staff at Capital Xtra, another of Global's radio stations.

Following the news of Mr Farage's departure, LBC presenter James O'Brien posted on Twitter: "We got our station back."

His comment echoed Mr Farage's tweet the morning after the 2016 EU referendum, when he posted: "We got our country back."

Sky News has attempted to contact Mr Farage's spokesperson for comment.

https://news.sky.com/story/nigel-farage-to-leave-lbc-radio-with-immediate-effect-12004872

https://news.sky.com/story/nigel-farage-to-leave-lbc-radio-with-immediate-effect-12004872

 

[Halaribo]

The fact they gave Farage and Hopkins a voice in the first place is a joke.

Majid is an idiot too.

 

[MenInG]

The party, which a year ago swept to victory in the European Parliament elections and sealed Theresa May’s fate as Prime Minister, is likely to be renamed the Reform Party amid growing demands for a centre right alternative to the Tories. The revelation comes in a week where speculation has been rife about Mr Farage’s future after he left LBC and led the attacks on the riots and destruction linked to the Black Lives Matter protests. The Sunday Express has learnt that plans for a relaunch of the Brexit Party have been in the pipeline for months and donations are pouring in for it to relaunch as a political force.

The party has already opened talks with a public relations firm and is preparing to stand a candidate in the next available by-election.

Senior figures from the Brexit Party have also been in talks with senior Tory MPs on the right of the party who are concerned about the loss of direction by Mr Johnson’s government.

There are also concerns that Mr Johnson may go “soft on Brexit” to get a quick deal with the EU and compromise on immigration rules as well as fishing waters and accepting EU rules.

One Tory MP who has spoken to both Mr Farage and Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice, said: “It will be a disaster if they relaunch. They will immediately pick up eight to 10 per cent of our vote and put us in second place behind Labour.

“A split in the centre right will mean we are always playing catch up.”

The MP added: “We should have given Nigel a knighthood and thanked him but instead Boris and Downing Street just wanted to humiliate him.”

Another Conservative MP added: “The problem is that Boris has left an open goal for the Brexit Party by pandering to the left.

“We have gone over the top with lockdown and we have allowed the streets to be taken over by rioters.

“The one thing we are getting right is Brexit but we are in danger of losing public confidence on that too.”

Last week Mr Farage is understood to have told friends that he felt “vindicated” after Downing Street admitted it was trying to put right the “unfair defects” in the Withdrawal Agreement Mr Johnson signed in January despite telling voters it was “an excellent deal”.

Last night Mr Farage told the Sunday Express: “[I am] watching and waiting. The lack of leadership from our government has been pitiful. Millions of Conservative voters want to see some moral courage not the current cowardice in the face of anarchic marxism.”

Sources close to leadership added: "Phones have been buzzing, hundreds emails per day from furious Tory voters, donations pouring in, we are praying for a by-election in Tory seat think would win one and gearing up for it, and currently deciding on who would stand.”

Meanwhile, former MEP Ben Habib told the Sunday Express: “We never really went away. The problem is that the Conservative Party is not really conservative.

“People are very worried about what is happening with Brexit. It is good that they will not extend the transition period but nobody can be sure that won’t happen until we have left properly.

“Meanwhile, we hear the government now saying it wants accelerated talks in June and July. What are they waiting for” How many times does the EU have to tell them Britain needs to sign up to its unfair level playing field rules?

“The government needs to walk away on world trade organisation rules.”

https://www.express.co.uk/news/poli...exit-party-return-boris-johnson-EU-trade-deal

 

[MenInG]

A US congressman has launched an investigation after Nigel Farage apparently flew to America to attend a Donald Trump rally during the coronavirus pandemic.

Bennie G Thompson, chairman of the House of Representatives' committee on homeland security, said the decision to allow the visit raised "numerous troubling questions" at the time of travel restrictions from the UK.

The US has barred entry to arrivals from Britain, with the exception of US citizens, their family members and "individuals who meet specified exceptions".

Brexit Party leader Mr Farage posted a photograph of himself on Saturday with the caption: "In the USA, only twenty fours from Tulsa" - the destination of the US president's rally over the weekend.

Mr Thompson said he had sent a letter to Chad Wolf, acting secretary of homeland security, requesting "all relevant documents" on the decision to "waive the travel ban for Mr Farage".

He said: "The decision of the Trump administration to admit Mr Farage to the United States to enable him to attend a campaign rally at a time when most travel from the United Kingdom to the US has been suspended raises numerous troubling questions, as does the claim that such travel was in the national interest."

Mr Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, said a statement provided to his staff by America's Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed Mr Farage was initially denied boarding while attempting to fly from the UK to the US, due to the coronavirus travel restrictions.

According to the congressman, the CBP said the Department of Homeland Security conducted a review and determined Mr Farage's travel was "permissible" as his entry to the US "would be in the national interest" and he was allowed to board the flight.

In his letter to Mr Wolf, Mr Thompson has requested that the Department of Homeland Security provide "all communication" since 14 March related to Mr Farage's trip to the US.

He also requests documents on "the individual who ultimately approved travel to the US by Mr Farage" and "the determination and justification" that the trip "was a matter of national interest".

Sky News has contacted the Brexit Party for comment.

Mr Farage previously appeared alongside Mr Trump to give a speech at a rally in Mississippi in August 2016 before the last US presidential election.

At the time, he spoke about his role in the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union, but stopped short of endorsing Mr Trump for president.

It was announced earlier this month that Mr Farage will no longer host his LBC Radio show which he had presented since January 2017.

https://news.sky.com/story/nigel-fa...gated-by-homeland-security-committee-12012928

 

[MenInG]

The Brexit Party has applied to change its name to Reform UK, admitting it is "time to re-direct our energies".

When the Brexit Party held its policy launch ahead of last year's general election, leader Nigel Farage said the organisation would most likely never be in power but could be the driving force behind getting governments to "support the little people".

 

[BouncerGuy]

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK overtakes Conservatives in new opinion poll

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party has overtaken the Conservatives in a national opinion poll for the first time, in the latest setback for Rishi Sunak and his faltering Tory election campaign.

Reform has climbed two percentage points to 19 per cent, overtaking the Tories who remained on 18 per cent, according to a YouGov poll, which put Labour on 37 per cent.

The survey showing the “crossover” moment of rightwing Reform surpassing the Conservatives was conducted after the prime minister launched the Tory election manifesto on Tuesday.

While it is only one poll and the Financial Times’ tracker shows on average that the Conservatives have an eight-point lead over Reform, it is a fresh blow for Sunak, who is attending a G7 summit in Italy.

Farage, leader of Reform, said in an ITV election event on Thursday evening: “Just before we came on air, we overtook the Conservatives in national opinion polls. We are now the opposition to Labour.”

As attention turns to the future of the Conservatives after the election, Farage said earlier on Thursday he would be willing to lead a merged Reform-Conservative grouping.

He predicted “something new is going to emerge on the centre-right”, telling LBC that the Tories “may well be dead” after the election but that he would “be prepared to lead the centre-right in this country”.

A reverse takeover would be welcomed by some rightwing Conservatives, who venerate the arch-Brexiter and believe their party’s travails stem from its failure to advocate a more hardline approach on immigration, tax and cultural issues.

Suella Braverman, who served as home secretary under Sunak, said this week that the Conservatives should embrace Farage, arguing there was “not much difference” between his policies and those of the Tories, as she rallied colleagues to “unite the right”.

Sunak had hoped to get back on the front foot as he broke away from his foundering election campaign in the UK for a two-day G7 summit on the Puglian riviera.

Asked by a reporter about seeming “down in the dumps” after a deflated performance at a Sky News election event in Grimsby on Wednesday, where he had faced tough questions about broken promises, Sunak said: “Definitely not.”

With the polls indicating Labour is on track for a parliamentary majority just three weeks before polling day, Sunak dismissed any suggestion of being snubbed by allies at the G7 summit who may believe he is on his way out of office.

“I’ve already sat down with Emmanuel, spoken to Olaf about a bunch of things,” he said of brush-by encounters with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

However, Sunak was prepared to acknowledge a setback in relation to the conduct of his parliamentary aide Craig Williams, who is under investigation by the Gambling Commission after placing a £100 bet on the date of the election three days before the prime minister announced it would be July 4.

Sunak said it was “very disappointing” and highlighted Williams’ own admission that it had been a “huge error of judgment”.

Tory insiders said the episode was seen as a betrayal by Williams and had dealt a psychological blow to other members of Sunak’s inner circle.

The prime minister was more upbeat discussing the $50bn loan to Ukraine that the G7 agreed, which he said “the UK have been leading on” for months.

He also welcomed the publication of Labour’s manifesto, which he said contained “no big ideas”.

Declaring that he would still be “fighting very hard” until polling day, Sunak said he wanted to ensure voters knew they would be “saddled” with higher taxes by a Labour government.

Foreign secretary Lord David Cameron was forced to insist he not did feel pity for Sunak. “I don’t feel sorry for him because he’s a very effective prime minister who wants to go on doing his job,” he said.

While Cameron told the BBC that the polls did not “look good” for the Conservatives, he argued “they didn’t look very good in 2015 when I won the election”.

Tory insiders said morale in the campaign had continued to nosedive. One Conservative figure said it felt as though many campaigners had “entirely given up”, adding it had not gone unnoticed how low a profile many cabinet ministers were keeping.

SOURCE: Financial Times

 

[BouncerGuy]

Independents join Reform UK in first for Essex

Four councillors have become the first in Essex to join Reform UK.

They were unveiled by party leader Nigel Farage during a rally at the Princes Theatre in Clacton, where he is standing as a candidate in the general election.

Jeff Bray and Peter Harris, of the Tendring Residents Alliance Group, were joined in the move by Richard Everett and James Codling.

Mr Bray, who was previously in UKIP and then the Conservatives, said: "People shouldn’t live by rosettes. Reform does things others wouldn’t dream of."

The so-called Farage Four were previously registered as independents on Tendring District Council, which is an independent-run coalition supported by Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

They took control of the council following local elections last May, with the authority having previously been run by the Conservatives since 2009.

On his journey to Reform, Mr Bray, who was leader of the Residents Alliance Group, said: "I was in the Conservative Party and it was the only party near my views. Most people accept the Conservatives are not doing what they used to, and so you look at what’s next.

"There will be people who agree with me and people who don’t. I have received lots of correspondence from people thanking me for moving over."

'Political football'

The leader of the Conservative group on the council, Paul Honeywood, said: "My view is that it is up to individual councillors to decide how best to represent their constituents.

"My concern is that our constituency gets turned into a political football that serves the ambitions of certain individuals."

Labour’s Ivan Henderson, the deputy leader of the council, said: "These four councillors have moved from party to party and have shown no loyalty to party or residents.

"They are using the electorate to further their own means."

It is the first time anywhere in Essex that Reform UK has had registered councillors.

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Farage elected MP for first time as Reform wins four seats

Nigel Farage has been elected as an MP for the first time, as his Reform UK party won four seats.

The Reform leader overturned a 25,000 Conservative majority to take Clacton in Essex by more than 8,000 votes.

In a speech after the result was announced, Mr Farage said it was "the first step of something that is going to stun all of you".

Shortly after Reform also gained Great Yarmouth and Boston and Skegness from the Tories.

Earlier, former Conservative MP Lee Anderson, who defected to Reform in March, retained Ashfield in Nottinghamshire.

The BBC is not predicting that Reform, which was formed in 2018 as the Brexit Party, will win any more seats.

An earlier exit poll for broadcasters had forecast the party would win 13 MPs - more than many polls during the campaign had predicted.

However, the figure was highly uncertain, as the model suggested there were many places where the party only has a relatively low chance of winning.

Taking aim at the Conservatives, Mr Farage said: "There is a massive gap on the centre-right of British politics and my job is to fill it."

Speaking to reporters after the result, he suggested "this is the beginning of the end of the Conservative Party".

Mr Farage said Reform would "now be targeting Labour votes".

"What is interesting is, there's no enthusiasm for Labour, there's no enthusiasm for [Keir] Starmer whatsoever. In fact, about half of the vote is simply an anti-Conservative vote," he said.

"We're coming for Labour, be in no doubt about that."

Polling expert Sir John Curtice said Reform had benefited from a significant fall in the Conservative vote in seats the party had previously held, as well as advancing most in areas where people voted Leave in the 2016 referendum.

In all four seats won by Reform more than 70% of people voted for Brexit.

Reform UK chairman Richard Tice overturned a 27,402 Tory majority to win Boston and Skegness.

Meanwhile, in Great Yarmouth, businessman and former Southampton FC chairman Rupert Lowe beat the Labour candidate by 1,426, with the Tories slipping to third place.

In an early sign of Reform's success in winning over former Tory voters, the first two results of the night in north-east England - in Blyth and Ashington and in Houghton and Sunderland South - saw the party beat the Conservatives by more than 4,000 votes.

The pattern was repeated in a number of other seats, as the Tory vote share plummeted.

However, Reform had less success winning seats off Labour.

In Barnsley North, where the exit poll had forecast a 99% likelihood of Reform taking the seat, Labour held the seat with an increased majority of 7,811.

Reform's candidate, Robert Lomas, who was disowned by the party last week for offensive comments on social media, came in second place.

In Hartlepool, another seat forecast to go to Reform, Labour also held on comfortably with a majority of 7,698.

Mr Farage has said he is aiming for Reform to become the main opposition to Labour by the time of the next election.

His surprise announcement that he was standing in the election, after previously saying he would not, saw a jump in Reform's poll ratings.

At the same time, he took over from Mr Tice as Reform's leader and he has played a prominent role in the party's campaign.

The former UKIP and Brexit Party leader has stood unsuccessfully to be an MP seven times, most recently in South Thanet, Kent, in the 2015 general election, when he finished second behind the Tory candidate.

Clacton was the first constituency to elect a UKIP MP in 2014, after former Tory MP Douglas Carswell defected to the party and triggered a by-election, which he won.

In 2019 Reform's previous incarnation, the Brexit Party, stood aside in more than 300 seats previously won by the Tories, amid concerns it could split the pro-Brexit vote.

However, this time the party contested 630 seats across England, Scotland and Wales.

Fielding an almost full slate of candidates in Great Britain posed challenges for the party.

Reform has had to disown six of them over offensive comments since nominations closed.

The party has blamed the surprise announcement of a July election, as well as claiming a company it hired to conduct background checks on would-be candidates failed to carry out vetting before the election was called.

Two Reform candidates also defected to the Conservatives over what they said was a failure of the party’s leadership to tackle the issue.

However, it was too late to remove any of these candidates so they still appeared for the party on ballot papers.

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Reform fake candidates conspiracy theories debunked

Airbrushing a picture of yourself is not a crime.

But in the case of Reform UK general election candidate Mark Matlock it led to viral - and spurious - claims that he was fake and generated by AI.

Mr Matlock came fifth in Clapham and Brixton Hill last Thursday, and did not turn up to the count because he had pneumonia.

Yet it was his decision to doctor an image of himself, including adding a tie, which fuelled speculation on social media that he was a work of fiction.

“People were very mean online and there’s been a lot of nastiness which is unnecessary,” he told the BBC.

Despite numerous claims on social media, the BBC has found no evidence that any of Reform’s candidates were fake.

However, a curious number of those standing for seats across the UK come from two small Midlands towns.

At least six Reform candidates have ties to Swadlincote in South Derbyshire.

They include Alison Devine, a personal assistant to the party’s chief executive, who came second behind Labour’s Graham Stringer in Blackley and Middleton South, Greater Manchester.

A further three candidates live, or have lived, just 10 miles away in Coalville.

Reform has now conceded that a last-minute rush to find candidates led the party’s staff to recruit their friends and family.

“We were desperate”, a party spokesperson told the BBC.

“Basically it’s friends, relations, office workers. One of the candidates got their partner to stand.”

A Reform election agent told us he had never met the candidate he was responsible for, did not know what he did for a living, but was sure he was not fake.

“I know he is real because he did contact me so we have spoken very briefly,” the agent said.

“He was very frugal. We spent hardly anything.”

So-called "paper candidates" - where a political party selects someone who does no campaigning but appears on the ballot paper - have long been a feature of British elections.

For opposition parties this practice is particularly important for amassing "short money" - the funds handed out by parliament to help them hold the government to account.

A party is awarded £22,295.86 for every seat won at the general election plus £44.53 for every 200 votes amassed.

Before the election, the Labour Party was entitled to £7,527,952.91 per year in funding.

Parties with five or fewer MPs - like Reform UK - are limited to an annual subsidy of £376,230 plus further funds to cover travel costs.

However, Nigel Farage’s party argues that their motivation in selecting as many candidates as possible was about democracy not money.

“People deserve the option to vote for us if they so wish,” said a spokesperson.

“If they didn’t have a paper candidate, that right is taken from them. It’s just putting a name on a piece of paper. There is nothing weird about this.”

The Electoral Commission said there are no rules general election candidates to any minimum level of campaigning.

Viral star Mark Matlock is embracing his new-found fame, even if it was the result of online conspiracy theories.

“I love it, a free advertisement. It’s great”, he told GB News.

“I’ve been made like a star on Twitter. I could never have imagined that this would be the case. It’s fantastic”, he said.

“Thank you to all the extremists who’ve done this for me.”

BBC

 

[Cricket Warrior]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1820910478165733842

 

[BouncerGuy]

Starmer suffers defeat in first by-election as PM as Reform takes Runcorn and Helsby

Reform UK have won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes in a blow to Sir Keir Starmer's premiership.

The narrow victory saw Nigel Farage's party taking a constituency which Labour won with a majority of almost 14,700 at the general election less than 12 months ago.

The by-election in the Cheshire seat was called after the previous MP Mike Amesbury resigned following his conviction for punching a constituent.

Reform candidate Sarah Pochin won with 12,645 votes, compared to the 12,639 secured by Labour candidate Karen Shore, making it the closest by-election result since records began in 1945.

Speaking after the result was declared, Mr Farage told Sky News' chief political correspondent Jon Craig that Labour's vote collapsed because of a "loss of confidence" and the fact "no one knows what the prime minister really stands for".

He said working people are fed up with higher taxes and illegal immigration, adding: "It's a sense of fairness and what's right and what's wrong bordering even on resentment.

"We've picked that up very strongly on the doors for people who voted Labour for all of their lives."

Mr Farage also declared the Conservatives as "toast", saying: "In much of this country if you vote Conservative you will get Labour.

"We now are the opposition party in the United Kingdom to the Labour Party and the Tories, frankly, are a waste of space."

The vote in Runcorn is Sir Keir's first by-election test as prime minister.

Ellie Reeves, chairwoman of the Labour Party, told Sky News incumbent governments "never tend to do very well in parliamentary by-elections" and this one was held in "very difficult circumstances".

She defended her party's record, saying that people are impatient for change but "change doesn't happen overnight".

However, Tory co-chairman Nigel Huddleston said that while it was a "bad night" for his party, it was a "terrible night" for the government, saying it is losing support because of "terrible policies".

He dismissed Reform's success, saying: "They are emerging into a populist popular party, not an alternative to the Conservatives, but trying to transcend and promise everything to everybody. That is not a long-term sustainable position."

Reform win first mayoral election

The Runcorn declaration was delayed as the close nature of the contest led to a recount.

As well as the Runcorn by-election, voters on Thursday took part in contests to elect more than 1,600 councillors across 23 local authorities, along with four regional mayors and two local mayors.

In further good news for Reform, Dame Andrea Jenkyns was elected as the party's first mayor in Greater Lincolnshire, with a majority of almost 40,000.

In her victory speech, the former Conservative minister, who defected last year, said there would be "an end to soft-touch Britain" and declared "the fightback to save the heart and soul of our great country has now begun".

She added: "I say no to putting people in hotels. Tents are good enough for France, they should be good enough for here in Britain."

Elsewhere, Reform looks set to gain control of Staffordshire County Council after taking 24 of the 30 seats to be counted overnight, with the Conservatives winning the other six.

There was some good news for Labour as it held on to the North Tyneside mayoralty in the first vote of the night - albeit by just 444 votes.

Why did Reform pull off their victory? Rachel Reeves’ massively unpopular winter fuel payments axe was a major vote loser. Some voters were appalled by the conduct of former Labour MP Mike Amesbury, who brutally assaulted a constituent.

Ms Pochin, in a fluent victory speech that suggested she’ll be a competent House of Commons performer, declared that the voters of the Runcorn and Helsby constituency had had enough of Tory failures and Labour lies.

Then, in a typically ebullient Sky News interview, Mr Farage said: “Britain is broken.” He also predicted more wins for his party in local government elections later on Friday.

For Labour, there will be a huge inquest into how they came so close to holding the seat and lost by just six votes. Many Labour MPs and party members will condemn Sir Keir Starmer for not bothering to visit the constituency to campaign for their candidate Karen Shore.

Mr Farage visited four times, including a lengthy stint on polling day. Say what you like about Mr Farage, and his opponents certainly do, he’s a tireless campaigner with a stamina that astounds even members of his inner circle.

His relentless tenacity has paid off handsomely. Other party leaders – with the notable exception of Sir Ed Davey – take note. Sir Keir sat on his hands and Kemi Badenoch was invisible too.

And they’ve both paid the price: humiliation.

And so, after declaring the Tories are “toast”, Mr Farage announced he was heading off for a bacon sandwich.

Last week at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said Mr Farage would “eat the Tory party for breakfast”.

But in Runcorn and Helsby - and many other parts of the UK - he’s just eaten Labour for breakfast as well.

Labour also saw off Reform in the West of England and Doncaster to retain both mayoralties. However, in Doncaster it was also a slim majority, with Labour's Ros Jones clinging on by 698 votes.

Ms Jones criticised decisions to means-test the winter fuel allowance, hike employers' national insurance contributions and squeeze welfare.

She told the BBC: "I think the results here tonight will demonstrate that they need to be listening to the man, woman and businesses on the street, and actually deliver for the people, with the people."

'First 10 months not good enough'

Some Labour MPs have also called for a change of course, with veteran backbencher Diane Abbott hitting out at the cut to winter fuel payments on X and Richard Burgon calling the Runcorn result "entirely avoidable".

Brian Leishman, a Scottish Labour MP, said people voted for an end to austerity in the general election and Sir Keir's first 10 months in office "haven't been good enough or what the people want".

"If we don't improve people's living standards, then the next government will be an extreme right-wing one," he warned.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell hit out at the "tin eared" response from the Labour leadership over the results, saying voters feel the party has "turned its back on them" because of policies like the winter fuel changes, NI tax on jobs and cuts to disability benefits.

Kim Johnson, in the nearby Liverpool constituency of Riverside, said Runcorn "is a warning we can't ignore" adding: "Voters want change - and if we don't offer it with bold, hopeful policies that rebuild trust, the far right will."

SOURCE: https://news.sky.com/story/reform-win-runcorn-and-helsby-by-election-after-recount-13359606?s=08