The Brexit Party

There was nothing surprising whatsoever about the revelation this week that Nigel Farage has been in discussions with Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right party formerly known as Front Nationale, and Matteo Salvini, the Italian politician who at a European elections rally in Milan, in 2009, notoriously called for racial segregation on Italian public transport. The two are currently in the process of forming a new political “supergroup” in the European Parliament, the “Europe of Nations”.

Salvini, currently Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and Minister of the Interior, has had a long standing connection with Farage since he joined his Independence & Democracy group in the European Parliament way back in 2004, as an MEP within the separatist Lega Nord party, which was to be subsequently expelled from the group following allegations of racism, but then allowed to re-engage when in 2009 Farage was struggling to form a new group, and desperately needed the Italian right-winger’s support.

Later, in 2014, rumours were circulating of possible negotiations between Farage and Le Pen, when both were struggling, again over forming a new group, and were possibly considering forming a group together. Those rumours were well founded, EU Today can confirm.

Indeed, when each found themselves one nationality short of the required threshold to maintain a group, one UKIP MEP left to join Le Pen, whilst one of Le Pen’s left to join Farage’s group. As a result of this dubious but conveniently timed exchange, both groups were saved. It is also. notable that Farage has been very positive in his comments about Le Pen recently.

So why is it so important for Farage to have his own political group in the European Parliament?

He himself has often said that MEPs have larger budgets and more parliamentary staff at their disposal as members of a political group, and this is indeed the case. However, as a group president, it also the case that Farage has personally enjoyed certain privileges, and, most importantly for him, greater media exposure as he has the right to lengthy speaking slots on key note debates in parliament. Considered by many to be a narcissist, and one who loves the sound of his own voice, Farage thrives on media attention.

Last week in Brussels MEPs from various national delegations met to discuss the formation of the so-called “supergroup” comprised of the populists and Eurosceptics who achieved sweeping votes across the EU. Although Farage has always publicly distanced himself from such characters, such a group, which in terms of size would be on a par with some of the more centrist groups, would provide him with a far greater platform then he has previously had on the European stage.

The meeting turned sour, at least for Farage, when it was declared that his services as group president would not be required.

He had possibly not realised that Le Pen and Salvini control political forces which represent more than mere contrarianism, and which have wider and deeper support than he can take the time to try to understand. He apparently thought that his “star quality and recognisable face” would be enough to dazzle them. That may be the case in Britain, but elsewhere in Europe it is not enough. Sorry, Nigel.

It is also the case that Brexit will in all probability mean his term in office will end in October when the UK leaves the bloc. Instability, as Farage will understand, is the last thing a political group in the European Parliament needs, and there is also Farage’s ability to foster divisiveness in any body of people - did he study Lenin, one often wonders?

And so, faced with rejection, Farage is reported by the Sun newspaper to have pulled out of negotiations.

Salvini and Le Pen will be far more interested in Italy’s Five Star movement, who it is understood will be joining the supergroup. In the last legislature they were members of Farage’s EFDD group, and so until the new groupings are announced, they technically still are.

When Five Star sign up the Europe of Nations the EFDD group will be dead, and Farage his MEPs will offer the ignominy of being Non-Escrit - MEPs who have no political group, and who Farage himself has always dismissed as failures and no-hopers.

eutoday.net/news/politics/2019/marine-le-pen-matteo-salvini-reject-nigel-farages-leadership-in-euro-supergroup

Have you seen Ann Widdicome's latest? She and NF should be enough of a reason to make people think twice.

In the FT link it states: existing eu customs deals with Turkey and Switzerland will be hard to replicate
In February 2019 the uk signed a trade deal with Switzerland and they will be trading after Brexit as they did before

Are you sure of that petra? Please provide a link because if we signed that deal as part of the EU I assume it will no longer be valid if we leave. Do I remember hearing that no deals could be signed (they could be agreed) until after we have left?

Why are people so jubilant at the thought of possibly being able to have trade deals with other countries that we already have as EU members?

Brexit MEP Anne Widdecombe has some interesting views.

inews-ukco-.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/inews.co.uk/news/politics/science-may-produce-cure-for-homosexualty-brexit-party-mep-ann-widdecombe-claims/amp/?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Finews.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fscience-may-produce-cure-for-homosexualty-brexit-party-mep-ann-widdecombe-claims%2F

Well done for keeping your tongue in your cheek Varian. The woman is barking.

Why are people so jubilant at the thought of possibly being able to have trade deals with other countries that we already have as EU members?

Madness comes in many forms Labaik

Varian, I have tried that link you have sent and my computer is warning of virus attack.

I can no doubt guess what it says and what you think. We are all entitled to an opinion and yours would clearly differ from mine.

Ann Widdecombe has her views. I respect them, whether or not I share all of them. As for the lady herself, I have met her, briefly, once. She seemed quite a nice sort of person. That is all I can say. I do not vilify people for not sharing my views.

A brilliant article from the New York Times.
Sometimes it’s good to see ourselves as others see us.
www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/opinion/nigel-farage-brexit.html

abbey I had the same issue with that link try this one, it may be the same info www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48491731

Yes, good article Jane thanks for the link. I like the comparison of NF as 'the Gordon Gekko of British politics'.

Interesting commentary on NF's views about class and how they would impact on many of his supporters should he achieve power.

'^He opposes extended maternity leave, raising the minimum wage and reducing the retirement age — anything that inconveniences his nouveau riche confederates. If he had his way, many of his supporters would be working harder, longer, for less money, with less protection.^'

'^Greed is good^' to quote Gekko in the film.

Janeainsworth thanks

www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/opinion/nigel-farage-brexit.html

I heard a "Brexit Party" MEP challenged on tv about whether the so-called "Brexit Party" was a political party or a company. She said it was a party and was then challenged to say how many members it had. She claimed lots.

Just out of curiosity, I googled thebrexitparty.org and found instructions about how to become a supporter but no way of becoming a member.

The address given is for The Brexit Party Limited, which sounds like a company, not a political party.

Is it possible that this MEP was lying?

"He opposes extended maternity leave, raising the minimum wage and reducing the retirement age — anything that inconveniences his nouveau riche confederates. If he had his way, many of his supporters would be working harder, longer, for less money, with less protection." (Mon 03-Jun-19 10:31:33)

I hate to say it Ginny42, but on the forum that I visit that is for pensioners, where I would think the average age is the late 70s, they are very pro NF. I would feel pretty confident in saying that they would agree with the above. They are retired and, the men, in particular, want to protect their pensions from anything as outlandish and modern as extended maternity leave and do a very good impression of the "when I were young" sketch if you mention minimum income. I'm afraid they are everything we keep being told is not true of Leave voters. There is even strong support for Tommy Robinson. They just see Farage as a good thing in a way that is frightening in its lack of understanding or care for those working now. These people do exist.

The address given is for The Brexit Party Limited, which sounds like a company, not a political party
Varian It isn’t a political party in the sense that it has no manifesto or policies and no members who have paid a subscription to be members, only supporters who have been recruited online, in a similar way to the Five Star movement in Italy.
The New York Times article explains all this. It’s actually quite frightening that NF has got so much support just through clever online marketing.

"Is this the fifth or sixth party political broadcast from the so-called brexit party that has been aired by the Brexit Broadcasting Corporation in the last week?"

Maybe, but the investigation aired yesterday about American meat hygiene puts Brexit economics into shady territory.

Alexa I saw that documentary last night, the undercover footage from the factory was appalling.

They had a large amount of recall on the products.

Yes, and when that chicken is imported from America and is on supermarket shelves Tesco or Sainsbury is hardly going to advertise AMERICAN CHLORINATED CHICKEN in a huge banner above the display. Customers will of course buy it and quite contented.

Me, it's another reason for me to go meat -free. American imports are coming make no misteak.

Alexa I think all meat sold in the UK has to be “traceable” therefore it would have to be labelled as “originating” from the USA.

GG13 I like that it is traceable but think we should also be told whether it is halal or not. Sorry I know I've gone off thread but I think we have a right to know, just as we know what conditions our chickens have lived in. Perhaps we don't but labels tell us when they have been free-range.

Nonnie there is a way to tell if it’s Halal, something to do with a code on the packing if I recall correctly.

Thanks GG13 but I can't find that on Google. Do you think it might just be a proposal?

I did find this though from 2016 which I thought was interesting:

Many years ago, the UK banned the rearing of veal calves in crates. The EU eventually followed suit. UK rules on animal experimentation were eventually followed by EU directives. We may no longer be able to throw our weight around in the EU, but there is a wider world out there – UN specialised agencies, for example – dealing with international animal welfare and environmental matters where we should be proud to take a lead.

Full article: www.independent.co.uk/voices/if-we-cant-ban-halal-meat-we-should-at-least-let-people-know-when-theyre-buying-it-a7178481.html

NF refuses to go to the hearing: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48516348?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_politics&ns_linkname=news_central

The problem is democracy works by rules Nonnie. It seems we do not have Nigel's consent to those rules. May I suggest withdrawal of his British citizenship. It wouldn't surprise me if we found he has another one for another country readily available.