Nigel Farage

Reform?We are told a week is a long time in politics and it's well over a week since 'the deal'. So it's all over, the great Brexit saga has reached a conclusion? Sort of but we still wait for the EU to vote on this. On the other hand maybe just one of the 27 has a reason to refuse? That would be interesting! We start by taking a quick look at pre-deal UK, in 1961. For this was the year the UK made an attempt to join what was then the forerunner of the EU. The attempt failed, vetoed by the French, the French, fancy that! Thus for 60 years the UK has been wired in to a European political dimension and its European neighbours' desire for political federation. This has always had a profound effect on us and the UK has often been described by political commentators as, semi-detached from 'Europe'. To have finally faced up to this, held a referendum on the subject and created a new relationship is remarkable. It was always a jibe of the political elite, especially the metropolitan liberal end of the spectrum, that our semi-detached stance has, 'split the Tory party'. This was only ever partly true. A deeper look at the divisions brought about by our EU membership showed that the whole country and all political parties were divided. As it was the Tory party not only, 'got Brexit done' but rid themselves of the curse of the EU by doing so.

Dr Alan Sked 1993
Nigel Farage is to start another party. In time we will see if this is to put one across the bows of Gerard Batten and 'old' UKIP, or if there is something else going on. The rivalry between these two could well be the force that causes both great damage. Also for long term Farage watchers there is a hark back to old times with the announcement that Annunziata Rees-Mogg, sister of leading Conservative Brexiteer MP Jacob Rees-Mogg will stand alongside Farage. In 2004 Farage announced that TV celebrity Robert Kilroy-Silk had joined UKIP. It was if Farage had played an ace in a game of cards as nobody in the party outside of the Farage inner circle knew this was coming up. However, in another nine months Kilroy-Silk had left UKIP, game over. But we live in strange times with the date for leaving the EU now put back and both the main parties in disarray Farage is not the only person to think change is needed. A small number of MPs have left their roots in Labour and the Conservatives to form an independent group which is in the throes of turning itself into a party. Although due to both circumstances and the people involved not much has happened yet. After an initial flourish of interest from the media there was the ritual period of ridicule.

Boris gives the Remainers a headache.
During the Brexit referendum campaign many alliances were made and new friends found. No doubt for the Remainers this is awkward, it brings back the memories and the hurt, but for the Leavers it's different. We are getting back to normal catching up on jobs in the garden and around the house and planning a little 'thank you' party sometime soon. It's in this mood we say thank you to two characters who have in their own and very different ways made a huge contribution to the referendum result.

First Boris Johnson. One of the features of the result is that the political establishment went into this referendum secure in the knowledge they would win. How did they know this? Because they had asked people who they could trust to tell them what they wanted to hear. Then proving their stupidity they believed it. In other words having started out rather detached from political reality they enhanced their isolation. Now Johnson has never been detached from public life in the same way that other politicians are, it's as if he defies gravity and more besides. He does as he pleases and the public like him for this.

His contribution to the Leavers was immense. He raised spirits and gave hope in a way no other politician from either side of the debate did. His critics will say he peddled lies about the EU.