[News] Nigel Farage and Reform

[A1X]

I don't like this, just increases his sense of being the victim.

Get him in with a proper journalist for a proper grilling interview and he'll fall apart quickly

In unrelated news, he's chickened out of being interviewed by Robert Peston on the BBC tonight

 

[Zeberdi]

So now Farage is accusing anyone who protests against him the “extreme left” who are intimating him and conflating that them “hating our Country”.

Ffs the rhetoric from Farage is getting more Trumpian by the day. When will people realise that Bannon, Trump, Robinson, Farage. Marie Le Pen etc are two sides of the same coin. Sides of the coin that Putin is watching gleefully as they sow discord and enmity and attempt to undermine liberal democracies in the West?

 

[Diablo]

Where does it say it was a brick?

Where does it say it was a brick?

don`t think it does .... pointing out that Milkshake is harmless, Brick or anything solid could cause a lot more damage.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

don`t think it does .... pointing out that Milkshake is harmless, Brick or anything solid could cause a lot more damage.

I said paper coffee cup, but evidence shows it was an empty milkshake cup.

 

[jcdenton08]

I said paper coffee cup, but evidence shows it was an empty milkshake cup.

Lots of counter arguments that more than one “missile” was thrown. I don’t know either way, but I suggest it’s a bad idea full stop.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

He stokes the division with his comments about Muslims and White British culture, and hires people who admire Hitler and Putin.

That’s divisive AF and quite deliberately so.

Agreed, he hasn’t thrown the brick at himself, but tone down the rhetoric and no one else would either.

That logic is a slippery slope. All sorts of people can come up with all sorts of reasons for physically attacking all sorts of people, based on how strongly the feel about whatever. If 'whatever' is illegal then the police should intervene. There is no place for vigilantism.

And loathe him as I do, I have not seen Farage do anything illegal. Telling lies is not illegal. He has come very close to incitement, but he stays just the right side of the laws. If he makes a mistake then the law should swing in, not a fist or brick.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Sides of the coin that Putin is watching gleefully as they sow discord and enmity and attempt to undermine liberal democracies in the West?

Watching gleefully and very likely funding

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

No. However, the extremist views of Jo Cox’s killer were inspired by people like Farage. That’s literally my point.

And you literally think it is OK for someone to attack Farage? Surely not?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

No. However, the extremist views of Jo Cox’s killer were inspired by people like Farage. That’s literally my point.

If he is guilty of incitement he should be prosecuted.

Maybe the laws on incitement need to be strengthened. But imagine the backlash from the 'freedom of speech' contingent? Perhaps that is where the next 'culture war' should emerge. Unfortunately it is likely to do no more than make lots of money for lawyers.

 

[GJN1]

BREAKING! Just pulled out of posting something that might have gone catastrophically wrong.

Phew.

 

[kevo]

BREAKING! Just pulled out of posting something that might have gone catastrophically wrong.

Phew.

That's good news - but your profile pic still REALLY disturbs me.

 

[GJN1]

That's good news - but your profile pic still REALLY disturbs me.

I can't help the way I look.

 

[Peteinblack]

I don't like this, just increases his sense of being the victim.

Get him in with a proper journalist for a proper grilling interview and he'll fall apart quickly

Agree.

I don't like violence, be it personal or political, and in Farage's case, it will actually increase his support among the Gammonazis, and maybe boost sympathy among 'neutrals'.

It will play to the Right's narrative that "you can't say nuffink anymore" without being cancelled or silenced by "the fascist Left". Farage then portrays himself as the plucky man-in-the street almost single-handedly defending democracy and free-speech from 'the mob'.

He needs to be exposed for the charlatan he is, by being rigorously questioned and exposed over his policies, and his entirely bogus 'man of the people' image.

In terms of policies, Reform UK offer more of the same policies of the last 45 years - Farage is a proud Thatcherite who thinks the current Tory Party is too Left-wing or liberal/Woke - but applied even more brutally, with many of his own working-class supporters likely to suffer yet more economic hardship via austerity, further reduced employment rights and protection (in the name of competitiveness, and labour market flexibility), and continued decimation of public services via privatisation and spending cuts (to fund tax cuts for the rich).

In terms of his totally-manufactured 'cheeky chappy' image, it needs to be constantly emphasised that Farage is a public-school-educated, millionaire, City-slicker, who banked with Coutts (the toffs' bank used by the Royal Family).

Farage does not really give a flying f*** about ordinary people struggling on low wages or inadequate welfare benefits, living in crap housing or on a crime-ridden sink estate, or waiting months for an NHS operation, except in so far as he can encourage them to blame immigrants (and the EU) for all of these problems.

The same old con of the last 100 years; rich privileged people convincing working-class people that their problems are all caused by other working-class people or immigrants, rather than by the greed and selfishness of rich, privileged, people.

 

[AlbionBro]

I wonder what possesses people to do this, surely it has to be a lose situation for the young man, unless someone offered to pay him with a slap up meal with unlimited drinks in Wetherspoons.

 

[Zeberdi]

Watching gleefully and very likely funding

Completely - I think maybe people ( Reform supporters) should look at the bigger picture - where all this fits in with what’s happening in Europe ( elections) and what’s happening in the States - then explain why Truss is speaking on a far right platform, why Farage is speaking to audiences that include Victor Orban and Bannon and how Trump, whom they all endorse btw, and Marie Le Pen have policies that undermine Ukraine’s Independence and call for closer ties with Russia - Im not a conspiracy theorist - it is simply a matter of joining dots.

Farage is hoping to get the popular vote the way Trump is doing - by claiming there is a far left conspiracy to destroy our democracy, that elections are fraudulent and that the Left are against us and will destroy this Country when that is exactly the antithesis of the Left..

But hey let’s ( the public/electorate) all talk about how heinous it is to commit assault with empty coffee cups and milkshakes - that’s exactly what Farage wants us to talk about.

 

[Guinness Boy]

If he is guilty of incitement he should be prosecuted.

Maybe the laws on incitement need to be strengthened. But imagine the backlash from the 'freedom of speech' contingent? Perhaps that is where the next 'culture war' should emerge. Unfortunately it is likely to do no more than make lots of money for lawyers.

My concern with legality, as opposed to tone, is that we both know the hate speech laws would be the first thing to go under a Reform government.

But my major concern is tone. Divide and conquer. Look at these nasty lefties. And, yes, this particular useful idiot has obliged him rather stupidly.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

My concern with legality, as opposed to tone, is that we both know the hate speech laws would be the first thing to go under a Reform government.

But my major concern is tone. Divide and conquer. Look at these nasty lefties. And, yes, this particular useful idiot has obliged him rather stupidly.

I assume you are referring to whoever attacked Farage as the useful idiot.

If you have reconsidered invoking 'contributory negligence' as a justification for assault then I'm happy with that.

(If we ever end up with a Reform government then the abolition of laws against hate speech would be the least of my concerns.)

 

[Stato]

Folks, some of us saw this coming.

For pages and pages I’ve been saying that it isn’t the milkshake per se, it’s the very real danger of normalising assaulting politicians in what should be a democracy.

I spoke before at some length about one-upmanship and the dangerous risk of copycat attacks, particularly due to exposure and engagement via TikTok et al.

This can not be laughed off or trivialised as many did originally, because some of us see the bigger picture and the inherent risk in undermining our democracy by not absolutely condemning attacks of any politician in public.

You may need to repost that and replace the bit you bolded 'a brick tomorrow' with 'a paper cup tomorrow'. It seems to be escalating at a slower pace than first imagined.

On a more serious note, even if relatively harmless, it may make the throwers feel good about themselves, but it's counter productive to their aims. Roderick Spode Nigel Farage is not marching thugs through Cable Street, he's blowharding like the golf club bore that he is and must be met with words, not violence. He also loves the opportunity to talk to the media about anything except his useless Liz Truss tribute act policies. This just adds to the list of grievances he'll need to get through in every interview before he can answer the question, oh sorry, we've run out of time.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I said paper coffee cup, but evidence shows it was an empty milkshake cup.

I don't condone any violence against politicians of any sort.

And If it was a brick, as claimed, I'm sure the photos of the damage to the bus will be all over the internet within minutes

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

So now Farage is accusing anyone who protests against him the “extreme left” who are intimating him and conflating that them “hating our Country”.

Ffs the rhetoric from Farage is getting more Trumpian by the day. When will people realise that Bannon, Trump, Robinson, Farage. Marie Le Pen etc are two sides of the same coin. Sides of the coin that Putin is watching gleefully as they sow discord and enmity and attempt to undermine liberal democracies in the West?

This is an issue on both sides of the divide at the moment, dont agree with someone? must be far left/far right.

The level of debate in this country is in the mud