Farage Farceur.
Apologies for the tired alliteration by way of post title, I couldn’t think of anything else.
I wanted to write about Farage’s ‘Dammit Thanet’ moment; just why did he lose? Or rather, what did his opponent have to offer that was so radically different, and more appealing, that it seduced a large chunk of Thanet to tick a box other than ‘Farage’?
My first problem was that Farage has so occupied the column inches that I didn’t even know who was standing against him. Go on then, without peeking, who won Thanet and which party did they represent? (Political nerds need not enter this competition, I know you will know the answer – but from a short poll amongst the 20 people standing nearest to me – not one of them could give me the answer).
Craig Mackinlay is the answer. Craig who? This Craig. Standing forlornly outside the local Lloyd’s Bank offering to write a letter to Lloyd’s asking them not to close their branch in Wingham. I appreciate that writing a letter for you might be a vote winner if you happen to be a car-less pensioner in Wingham – but sufficient to rule out a man who has campaigned so volubly and extensively as Nigel Farage?
In fairness to Craig, he also advocates ‘the advantages of a local candidate’, along with ‘tougher residency tests’ so local people get first crack at social housing, and ‘re-opening Manston airport’ – apparently flights to and from Accra, Nairobi, Dammam, or Jeddah, are all to the good for the local population.
It must have been a difficult decision for the electorate; Farage with clearly defined policies, or ‘not letting in Ed Miliband’ along with regular flights to Jeddah. So difficult, that Boris Johnson and George Osborne were dispatched to shore up the Conservative mettle.
Could the deciding factor have been ‘a local candidate’ – not really, Will Scobie, the Labour candidate was born in Thanet and has lived there all his life. Craig was born in Chatham. Not far, but not as local as Scobie.
Maybe it was the ‘tougher residency tests’ eh? Code for immigration curbs? Surely Farage had him beat on those grounds?
Perhaps it was the ‘Manston Airport’ issue, A strong local issue. If that had been the case you might have expected Ruth Bailey of the ‘Manston Airport Independent Party’ to have polled one or two more than the desultory 191 votes she achieved.
It can only be the first item on Craig’s ‘What I Stand For’ entry on his website:
This is a two-horse race between the Conservatives and UKIP. […] A vote for UKIP risks the chaos of a Labour government led by Ed Miliband – propped up by the Scottish Nationalists. Nigel Farage himself has said he would “do a deal” with Miliband and UKIP have told the newspapers “they would prefer Labour to win the election.”
Ah, so a vote for Craig was a definite ‘keep Farage out’ vote? A ‘can’t be doing with those sort of policies’ vote? A ‘the man’s aim’s are abhorrent to me’ sort of vote?
Which is deucedly odd, Jeeves.
For you see, whilst you may (politics nerds excepted) have been under the impression that UKIP was one man’s sole vision – Nigel Farage – it was far from that. Nigel Farage is only the latest of a series of architects and leaders of UKIP. Albeit, by far the most successful, and has certainly garnered more column inches than any other.
You won’t learn this from UKIPs Wikipedia entry, nor from Conservative Party headquarters, but while UKIP was started by one Alan Sked, he was ably assisted by his trusted Treasurer and nominated successor as leader bearing the by now familiar name of – Craig Mackinlay…
Petunia impressed me by even knowing that Craig Mackinlay had once voted UKIP – but I can’t find anyone who had an inkling that actually Farage was beaten to a seat in Parliament by one of the founding fathers of UKIP who defected to the Conservative Party after 12 years at the very heart of UKIP.
Good luck to Cameron with Mackinlay on the back benches…the man has stood for UKIP three times in general elections, and twice in european elections, always on an ‘anti-EU’ ticket, and always failing dismally. Now he is finally in Parliament in time for important decisions to be made on Britain’s place in the EU, do we know where he stands on Europe? Does he?
Doesn’t the main stream media keep us wonderfully informed?
- windsock
May 13, 2015 at 9:15 am -
So, basically, just another one who doesn’t care what instrument he’s playing or what uniform he’s wearing, as long as he’s in the band and leading the parade?
- Mudplugger
May 13, 2015 at 9:17 am -
I couldn’t possibly comment – being a banned nerd !
- John Galt
May 13, 2015 at 9:19 am -
This is one of the difficulties with UKIP and the Tories – for there are certain members of the Tory party that can UKIP …err… UKIP.
Ms. Priti Patel the Member for the Witham for example has a similar story, having moved out to Sir Jammy Fishpaste’s Referendum Party and then returned – somehow I doubt that she is an EU apologist of any form.
- The Blocked Dwarf
May 13, 2015 at 9:25 am -
*PHOTO* Craig Mackinlay
Seldom have I seen a photo that screamed for the caption “Would You Buy A Used Car From This Man?” more.
Shame on me for being so easily swayed by appearance, I know. But , admit it, his face says “turned the clock back and used a whole can of tyre gloss”, a “if he says ‘Good Morning’ he’s lied twice already” boat race.
- windsock
May 13, 2015 at 9:27 am -
“if he says ‘Good Morning’ he’s lied twice already” – brilliant.
- windsock
- Daft Lassie
May 13, 2015 at 9:33 am -
Come on gang. This was ‘bait and switch’ or as Paul Daniels would have it, ‘Welcome to the Bunko Booth’. The more vocal Farage was, the less people looked into the credentials of the ‘Tory’ – why the hell do you think Farage stood there in the first place?
- windsock
May 13, 2015 at 10:30 am -
You have a devious mind, Daft Lassie. I like it.
- windsock
- Moor Larkin
May 13, 2015 at 9:34 am -
“The manifesto pledges David Cameron will not lead a government which doesn’t offer a referendum. This sets out one of the few known ‘red lines’ in any future negotiations in the event of a hung parliament.”
http://www.euractiv.com/sections/uk-europe/conservatives-lay-out-eu-promises-manifesto-313839The Tories smoked out the kippers…
- The Blocked Dwarf
May 13, 2015 at 9:38 am -
The Kippers never haddocked a chance , did they ?
- Moor Larkin
May 13, 2015 at 9:46 am -
Codswallop became Cod’s Woe.
- Bandini
May 13, 2015 at 12:42 pm -
Roeful punning.
- Moor Larkin
May 13, 2015 at 12:46 pm -
We are the trout-tellers and the scales have dropped from our unblinking eyes.
- Wigner’s Friend
May 13, 2015 at 12:50 pm -
‘Twas a “Trout Mask Replica” Captain Beefheart. Ding a Ling.
- Moor Larkin
May 13, 2015 at 1:02 pm -
Pictures now emerging of riot and looting now underway in Battersea by the oppressed Labourite Tendency
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/05/15/article-2629269-1DDEF8AF00000578-239_634x412.jpg
Met Police say there will be no trawling until after their weekend off. - binao
May 13, 2015 at 6:15 pm -
W.F; ‘trout mask replica’ sounds familiar. Was it one of the hot desking eu trolls on BBC HYS a year ago? I think they ran two teams. Perhaps I’m confused.
Sad that I should know, but there was a relentless 24/7 response service instantly rebutting any Eurosceptic postings, from groups of similar names & an obvious house prose style. Identical phrasing and twaddle presented with great conviction.
As I said, sad.- The Blocked Dwarf
May 13, 2015 at 7:57 pm -
- binao
May 14, 2015 at 6:57 am -
Thanks BD
- binao
- The Blocked Dwarf
- Moor Larkin
- Wigner’s Friend
- The Blocked Dwarf
May 13, 2015 at 12:53 pm -
- binao
May 13, 2015 at 5:58 pm -
Cod rhymes appealing to our bass instincts & talking pollacks
- binao
- Moor Larkin
- Bandini
- Moor Larkin
- Mudplugger
May 13, 2015 at 1:13 pm -
Europe will give Cameron such a headache he may need a ‘brain-sturgeon’ to fix it.
- The Blocked Dwarf
May 13, 2015 at 1:59 pm -
- Mudplugger
May 13, 2015 at 3:09 pm -
Stop carping, will you.
There’s a funny s-tench around here, it’s app-roach-ing minky.
Whale meat again ….. don’t know where, don’t know when (with apologies to Dame Vera Ling).- The Blocked Dwarf
May 13, 2015 at 3:47 pm - Wigner’s Friend
May 13, 2015 at 5:10 pm -
It was the Sun(fish) what dun it.
- The Blocked Dwarf
May 13, 2015 at 6:03 pm -
Hake to say it but from my perch you can sea Ed Minnowband has no sole….no barb intended.
- Hubert Rawlinson
May 13, 2015 at 11:43 pm -
You’re gonna need a bigger boat! After all, we’re all in this together… aren’t we?
- Hubert Rawlinson
- The Blocked Dwarf
- The Blocked Dwarf
- Mudplugger
- The Blocked Dwarf
- The Blocked Dwarf
- binao
May 13, 2015 at 9:40 am -
I’d love to know what strategy Cameron has for the referendum.
Not entirely sure some rebel or disaffected MPs will make much difference given the size of the HoC opposition.
On the basis that you don’t hold a referendum to get an answer you don’t want, and the eu doesn’t just have red lines, it has a programme, there’s going to have to be some nifty footwork though to gull the electorate. Unless he bottles it again.
I suppose there will be huge funding from the eu, & every household pays how much is it? £145 a year for the BBC to marginalise eurosceptics, sorry, ‘educate’ us.
Biggest opportunity for the sceptics will likely be another indefensible eu cock-up over Greece, or something else.- Moor Larkin
May 13, 2015 at 9:46 am -
Events dear boy, events…
- binao
May 13, 2015 at 11:24 am -
I bet Dave’s clutching his lucky rabbit’s foot in hope that the Greece thing & associated fallout has been securely put to bed before any referendum.
- Cascadian
May 13, 2015 at 7:12 pm -
Indeed, events that camoron has participated in will negatively affect the UK.
Overthrow of Gaddafi has destabilised the southern Meditterannean, result the refugee crisis (that May believes she can ignore) and further strain on your broken social services. UN pressure to accept Syrian refugees, (will Ms Maybe veto them too). The Greek implosion will affect all European banks, many already insolvent though pretending not to be, remember Cyprus?IMF will bail Greece out, UK will pay it’s share unless you want to seemultiple bank failures. Windmills, wishful thinking and Ukraine could still result in an energy crisis throughout Europe. Being a member of the club has its consequences, other poverty stricken members are not going to allow camoron to cherry-pick which initiatives the UK contributes to.
And above all else , does anybody believe that camoron is even a one-eighth competent negotiator?
- binao
- Moor Larkin
- Andrew Rosthorn
May 13, 2015 at 10:07 am -
Anna, at her sharpest, notes how the poison taken to kill a UKIP infection at Thanet brings more anti-EU poison into the thin majority on which the South of England is hoping to rule the rest of the disintegrating United Kingdom. If Scotland is forced to fight to stay in the EU, so will the North of England. Federalism looms as the last chance for the Union.
- Moor Larkin
May 13, 2015 at 10:12 am -
psst… Anna had come out for UKIP btw…
- Mr Ecks
May 13, 2015 at 12:50 pm -
The North of England –east or west side– may be poisoned by socialism but doesn’t give a rat’s arse for the EU as that fat git Prescott found out with his EU Regions election stuffing.
- Mr Ecks
- Moor Larkin
- Duncan Disorderly
May 13, 2015 at 10:25 am -
David Cameron and the Tories will come apart at the seams in the EU referendum. He clearly doesn’t like debating with people who are good at arguing, which is why he stayed away from Alex Salmond in the Scottish referendum. He will not be able to formulate arguments in support of the EU when up against Farage, and even if he could he would enrage anti-EU Tory MPs. If the UK votes against staying in the EU, it will be because arguments in favour of staying in will not have been articulated by decent politicians.
This parliament is going to be a total shitshow.
- Mr Ecks
May 13, 2015 at 12:52 pm -
The Oily Fish may be a good BS merchant but the tinpot Stalinist nature of his “beliefs” and his crew leaves him wide open. Cameron is gutless.
- Mr Ecks
- gareth
May 13, 2015 at 11:06 am -
At the risk of upsetting anyone… I’ve long been of the opinion that Mr Farage (good bloke though he appears to be) is actually an EU mole, who’s purpose is to ensure there is no *effective* campaign for leaving the EU.
- Duncan Disorderly
May 13, 2015 at 11:42 am -
The faction of the lizard man elders who want Britain to leave the EU worked that out some years ago. They were able to see through the machinations of their pro-EU rivals back on home planet, and arranged for David Cameron to lead the Tories and then the country. His sole purpose is to ensure there is no *effective* campaign for staying in the EU. He has been promised many human slave concubines if he is successful.
- Duncan Disorderly
- Andrew Duffin
May 13, 2015 at 12:07 pm -
Look at the polling numbers. And this is before any pretend negotiations have taken place (I say pretend because the EU won’t give an inch on anything significant; whatever is presented as a triumph or a victory will be contentless or trivial or both).
Dave can hold his referendum any time he likes with complete confidence that the result will be for “in”.
I predict around 70/30 in favour.
- Cascadian
May 13, 2015 at 5:16 pm -
I predict around 70/30 in favour……….well that depends on the question does it not?
One thing we know for sure is the EU will not accept the wrong kind of answer, and will continue to have referenda until the”correct answer” is obtained.
- binao
May 13, 2015 at 6:22 pm -
Who was the Greek leader kicked out of power in his own country for even daring to offer a referendum on the eu’s bail-out ‘offer’?
It might be argued that other ‘member states’ have had similar defenestrations at the eu’s hands.
- binao
- Mudplugger
May 13, 2015 at 8:22 pm -
I regret to predict that there will be a vote to stay in the EU, although not by a 70/30 margin. In the 1975 Referendum the result was around 67/33, but that was before most had sussed the true political objectives on the EU and that campaign period was heavily weighted, including covert CIA support, in favour of staying in.
Those fundamentals have changed a lot in the last 40 years, so most of the campaigning will be from internal vested interests, in effect most of the Westminster parties. All other thing being equal, I would guess 60/40 at most or even closer, maybe 55/45.Unless, of course, the ‘Next Labour’ Party, in its desperation to define a new ‘common ground’ to recover lost voters, suddenly adopts an EU Exit as a key policy – going back to Michael Foot’s 1983 position. That would immediately grab most of the UKIP voters in the Referendum however they voted in the general election, plus the rest of the working-class who couldn’t bring themselves to vote UKIP otherwise (except Scotland). And that would change the numbers game hugely. Don’t write it off – stranger things have happened when politicians get desperate – after all, that’s the only reason Cast-Iron Dave ever offered a referendum in the first place, he was desperately worried about UKIP – his EU masters certainly didn’t want one.
- Cascadian
- JimmyGiro
May 13, 2015 at 12:27 pm -
The difficulties lined up for the New Tory front bench from their rear end, will be nothing compared to the problems generated by a socialist dominated public sector.
How many ways are there for pink bureaucrats to stymie the legislations of blue authority?
It’s going to be an incandescent summer.
- Moor Larkin
May 13, 2015 at 12:41 pm -
The Woad Army are already heading for Bolton….
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/national/12945395.Sturgeon_in_Human_Rights_Act_call/- Mr Ecks
May 13, 2015 at 12:54 pm -
The same gang that want a commissar snooping on every Scots child and are trying to revive the ID card database up there , talking about Human Rights? What a joke.
- JimmyGiro
May 13, 2015 at 12:56 pm -
Nicola in thoughtful pose, is like a garden gnome evolving into Rodin’s The Thinker… sans fishing rod.
- Mr Ecks
- Moor Larkin
- Alex
May 13, 2015 at 12:45 pm -
Well, it’s often been said that a kipper “is a two faced, gutless bastard”.
- Moor Larkin
May 13, 2015 at 12:50 pm -
Nice with hot buttered toast though
- Alex
May 13, 2015 at 3:28 pm -
Now you’ve gone and made me feel hungry – a couple of those would go down a treat! LOL
- Alex
- ivan
May 13, 2015 at 6:42 pm -
Rabid tribalism?
- Moor Larkin
- Duncan Disorderly
May 13, 2015 at 12:54 pm -
In selecting Craig Mackinlay for this seat, was there perhaps an element of stabbing Nige in the back in the manner he stabbed the Tories in the back with the defections in the past year? (BTW, he actually looks like Nigel Farage crossed with a teddy bear)
- Stewart Cowan
May 13, 2015 at 2:43 pm -
Classic line in Craig Mackinlay’s “What I Stand For” page:
“…their [i.e. UKIP’s] MEPs have been caught fiddling their expenses.”
Followed by this:
“Now you have a one-off chance to kill UKIP forever.”
Perhaps he h0lds a grudge from his UKIP days like many others seem to. He looks delicate – part soft toy, as Duncan astutely points out. The locals must be soft (in the head?) too.
I share a similar concern with Gareth (several posts up the way), who writes,
At the risk of upsetting anyone… I’ve long been of the opinion that Mr Farage (good bloke though he appears to be) is actually an EU mole, who’s purpose is to ensure there is no *effective* campaign for leaving the EU.
Because the anti-EU eggs are pretty much in the UKIP basket and the PTB would have known decades ago that there would have been widespread discontent with a European superstate and could have set up/infiltrated UKIP.
Regardless, Farage in the HoC would have provided marvellous entertainment, but we have been denied this because of the softies of South Thanet who were so scared of Red Ed becoming PM that they helped ensure that Just-As-Red-Dave got back in.
Perhaps Mr Mackinlay was one of those infiltrators, which could be the reason he wants the people to, “Kill UKIP forever.”
Remind me: who are the fruitcakes?
- ivan
May 13, 2015 at 6:44 pm -
Hear, hear!
- Oi you
May 13, 2015 at 8:28 pm -
Odd how they are so frightened of Nigel….if he was truly was a fruitcake, they would have no need to fear him.
- ivan
- Backwoodsman
May 13, 2015 at 6:10 pm -
What’s the story with plod being asked to get involved in Thanet ? Anyone got any actual info ? Not sure plod is the man for the job, following revelations of his under par performance in the Tower Hamlets fiasco !
- Oi you
May 13, 2015 at 8:26 pm -
I don’t believe we will get a referendum. CallmeDave will think up some strategy to do one of his famous U-turns, aided and abetted by his chums Merkel etc. He just promised to give us one to get us to vote for him.
- Daft Lassie
May 13, 2015 at 8:35 pm -
The idea that Tories will fall out over Europe is risible. You have two sides: stay in and get out. Get outers have to accept they are getting a referendum, which they may win or lose. Stay inners have to accept that the tactic of forbidding a referendum has failed, and they too have to accept that the public may vote in or out. What would separate the inners from the outers and cause ructions is a tactic that effectively rules out the chance of winning – i.e. no referendum – and we are past that. It may be heated, it may cause ructions, and it is certain that there will be some attempts at pulling a fast one, and a lot of folk will be disappointed at the result, but having accepted a referendum, the reason for a split has gone.
- Oi you
May 13, 2015 at 9:37 pm -
All we ordinary workers want is someone honest, intelligent, with integrity, to rule Great Britain PLC. But instead we get a bunch of back-biting, bitchin’, back-stabbing, dishonest, immature mercenaries, who are prepared to use any tactic they can, just so they can get their snouts in the trough. And when they lose, they still get a golden goodbye the rest of us only dream about….
Pah! I wouldn’t piddle on ’em if they were on fire.
- JimmyGiro
May 14, 2015 at 6:33 am -
They have the classic symptoms of Narcissism… without the good looks.
I know this chap from school days, whom I suspect to be a Narcissist. He is diplomatic, superficially charming, and has no sense of humour bar derision; but never deriding present company, of course.
Yet when he is drunk, the true hidden nature comes to the fore; and for a brief window, we see him sans charm. Not a pretty sight.
If I were Hitler, I’d arrange all future TV hustings, to be carried out under the influence of Sodium Pentothol.
- JimmyGiro
- Dioclese
May 14, 2015 at 9:00 am -
MacKinley has certainly proved he can’t be trusted.
- binao
May 15, 2015 at 7:55 am -
This am & R4 still obsessing about UKIP & Farage squabbles as if it’s the top story. A party with one MP.
BBC couldn’t get Labour elected; have they now moved on to trying to disaffect the 4 million who voted for UKIP in order to get the ‘right result’ from Dave’s referendum?
Or is it me?
Ah, they’ve finally started covering Dave’s talks with Nicky the Fish & her next demands from the UK.
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