Berlin

roses, He was a COMMODITIES trader on the London Metals Exchange. Even stockbrokers think they're spivs! It's a classic route for public school failures.

Farage rarely attends as an MEP, so I stand by what I wrote. Quite honestly, looking at the calibre of some MEPs, it really isn't a great achievement.

You said that he hadn't achieved anything in life dd I disagree, plus he is a public figure known to many people.The fact that we don't like somebody's colour of politics should not blind us to reason.
Being a city trader for a while is not the classic route for public school failures either, they do very well for themselves for a time, then leave to do other jobs, usually in the city.

Agree Rose.
Its thanks to Nigel that Cameron gave us a referendum.

Of course remainer bigots are now full of hatred, but I believe history will eventually give him the credit he deserves. He is truly a remarkable charismatic figure so much so that I fear for his safety, such is the hate of his opponents.

Its nonsense yo say he's done nothing when he has had two successful careers, in contrast to so many of todays politicians, Milliband, Cameron, Balls, Corbyn, who have done nothing outside politics.

Mair It might help you to understand the meaning of bigotry if you read this article.

www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/02/ukip-party-bigots-lets-look-evidence

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

As one who does not sneer or descend to name calling, I am struck by the increasingly angry and intolerant tone of recent posts.

I am reminded of a series of posts here in the run up to the referendum from Petra, an avid reader of the Daily Express whose use of language was intemperate in the extreme.

I do wonder whether Petra has returned under another name.

I'm sorry, it was not Petra, but Practical - has she/he returned under another name?

Petra hasn't left, she's still posting on various threads

x posts!

There certainly has been much intolerant and angry talk on the threads lately......but not from Mair who, it has to be said, whether you agree with her politics or not manages to stay calm.
Have a look at the last page of the Brexit thread Varian if you want to read the insults handed out, they are breath taking ( although childish.)

Still here Varian

roses,

It would appear that you do not realise that there are many different varieties of City trader. Farage was a commodities trader. Having worked in that environment for a while and having had a number of boyfriends who worked in the various markets, when there were still physical exchanges before digitalisation, I can assure you that the commodities traders were considered a breed apart from the stockbrokers and bankers. There was a hierarchy and somebody from a well-known public school would have been expected to do 'better' than end up in the metal exchange. They were like barrow boys compared with John Lewis staff.

PS. The Yorkshire Ripper is known to many people.

Here you go, roses. This is quite a kind assessment of Farage's City career.

www.ft.com/content/02cad03a-844f-11e4-bae9-00144feabdc0

"I can assure you that the commodities traders were considered a breed apart from the stockbrokers and bankers. There was a hierarchy and somebody from a well-known public school would have been expected to do 'better' than end up in the metal exchange. They were like barrow boys compared with John Lewis staff."

Wow the snobbishness shown here is very revealing, especially when you bear in mind that many traders actually were smart lads from working class Cockney backgrounds, just as barristers clerks were!
Perhaps this is how Farage acquired his ability to relate so well to people from all kinds of backgrounds.

I'm just reporting how it was.

Farage didn't have a Cockney background. His father was a stockbroker and young Nigel went to Dulwich College, one of the more snobby public schools, so he wasn't lacking in opportunity. He left school at 16 and going to work on the metals exchange would not have been considered a success.

As the article states, the commodities traders were renowned for their hard drinking and right wing views. It was not uncommon for them to break into Nazi drinking songs in the pubs near the exchanges. I remember them well.

In any case, Farage hasn't achieved anything noteworthy, either as a trader or politician. Apart from being an irritant, he has not changed any laws, he has never campaigned for anything good. He has never done anything tangible, apart from fiddle a load of expenses. Presumably some of the money went to finance his children's private school education, even though he lives in an area with grammar schools. He's just whinged and portrayed himself as a victim and convinced people that he's somehow on their side. As the article says - he's a salesman, but he's never actually produced anything.

You remember what well, daphnedill? The Nazi drinking songs, the pubs or both?

dd you forgot to add IMHO again!
Your comments are snobbish and don't do you any favours!
Were the Nazi drinking songs that you remember so well ( ahem) in German?

Reporting how it was indeed!

What was certainly true is that in the 80s there wasnt the hysteria about Nazis that has been whipped up now.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2211486/The-Nazi-uniform-It-just-laugh-Balls-brushes-university-prank-saying-embarrassed-photo.html

UKIP is not a banned outfit, but part of the political scene and thousands of people do vote for them.I don't, but that does not make me think they are all closet Nazis.
You can hate Farage and UKIP if you like ( free country) but trying to say that he never achieved anything is plainly rubbish.

Would you say that Donald Trump never achieved anything? it's daft to say that about politicians you don't happen to like.

I remember Prince Harry once going to a party as an SS officer.That doesn't make him a Nazi.

Farage didn't have a Cockney background. His father was a stockbroker and young Nigel went to Dulwich College, one of the more snobby public schools, so he wasn't lacking in opportunity. He left school at 16 and going to work on the metals exchange would not have been considered a success.

Farage was clearly never a conformist. Like Churchill he is a 'bad boy' a maverick.

I remember Prince Harry once going to a party as an SS officer.That doesn't make him a Nazi.

Certainly not and I can imagine drunken City boys in the 80s may have been known to sing Nazi songs simply as a display of machismo. PeeCee was a new Red Ken invention then, and people were much freer to have fun in now contentious ways.

And of course we know the devil has the best tunes!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDIuApfVxBg
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1uIOZSPUsI