Will Trump do for Farage? On Friday, Donald Trump launched a wholly unjustified attack on the British armed forces and their contribution to NATO campaigns.
Whether the war in Afghanistan was justified or not, 450 or more British troops died there. Many more were injured, a great many of whom will bear the scars for life.
Trump's condemnation of troops who very clearly were in the heat of battle, as evidenced by the losses they suffered, claiming that they avoided the frontline, has consequences.
One is that Starmer rightly condemned him.
A second is that Trump then backed down, admitting a mistake.
But there is a third. That is for Nigel Farage, who has always sought to highlight his links with, and support for, Trump, as part of his appeal.
Farage also likes to play to the British veterans lobby, which is usually quite right-wing in its political orientation. Nothing suits him better than a D-Day parade. That is his stomping ground, and that of those who support him. However, reconciling those two positions would now appear to be especially hard.
Will those in this group make the link? Will they see that those, like Farage, who are using them for political gain whilst most definitely acting against their best interests in every way they can, from seeking to undermine the NHS and the benefits on which many of them depend onwards, are in fact the enemies of all that they need and want? I cannot, of course, be sure. That depends on the effectiveness of the messaging.
I have always loathed the use of the Union flag, in particular, in politics. I do not care who uses it: the use always seems to have been about faux patriotism, when, as I have explained here of late, real political patriotism is about building a country fit for people to live in without fear, which is a task all our leading politicians gave up on some time ago. But what these comments by Trump show is that the far-right have treated the forces with more contempt than most. The question now is, will they be seen through? If so, this could have a major political impact.
I have, for some time, said we might be witnessing peak Farage right now. The possibility seems to be very real at this moment.
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With the byelllection coming up, Nigel may keep quiet on this one.
If you look at the council by-elections this week, Farage’s Reform got in the wards they won about 22 per cent of the vote. This is something which, if GE were today, would be replicated across England. So, it is both about Reform getting fewer votes and the centre and the left (and yes, centre-right as well) voting for one candidate who’s most likely to defeat the far right.
He really needs to say something and people need to ask him until he does
But like allegations of racism in his schooldays he can’t comment because he will upset some of his supporters
Fart-rage is in a corner. Be interesting to see how he wriggles out. I doubt if the UK meeja will question him.
“Whether the war in Afghanistan was justified or not, 450 or more British troops died there”
Why were any troops sent to Afghanistan in the 1st place? (post the destruction of the World trade centre).
Yes, the regieme was nasty, yes it had a Saudi – Bin Laden. There were discussions with the regieme to hand him over
The attack on the World Trade Centre was carried out by ± 14 people, 13 of which were Saudi nationals? They were funded by Bin Liner – a Saudi national.
Why didn’t the USA declare war on Saudi Arabia? … “but geee they are our allies etc”
There should never have been troops in Afghanistan. Waste of lives, time & money. Ditto Iraq (for even less reason). Consequences for Shrub & B.Liar – nothing.
He was defending Trump’s claim to Iceland the other day.
GREENLAND Note to self don’t talk to dog while typing
Excellent comment Richard. I expect Farage will go very quiet until its safe to appear again…hoping we will all have forgotten the attack by Trump on our military. Our army/navy/airforce fight for our country and they pay a terrible price. Any ‘special relationship’ (if there ever was one ) has just been flushed away. And hopefully will never return.
Our military are brilliant. We are lucky to have them.
A A Milne’s definition of a patriot is “someone who hates everything about the country apart from its flag”. Thought it worth mentioning.
🙂
I’ve always believed Farage would be the architect of his own downfall long before the next General Election. His association with the despicable fascist, Trump, and his own past associations with fascism will eventually do for him. I notice he never mentions his parents- I wonder why?
British people will largely have nothing to do with fascism if they identify it. Farage cannot hide from his past associations nor distance himself now without being a hypocrite.
Richard,
Those voting for Farage probably don’t pay as much attention to the traditional media as we might imagine and on social media Reform will be able to deflect or avoid for now.
Come the GE there is no such hiding place or avoiding scrutiny. That said if the DE/DM/DT to name but 3 stay silent then who knows it might work.
I suspect the more difficult Trump or Putin are the more he is in trouble.
Has Trump backed down? Apologized? I see no record of it. Maybe if he does it will choke him.
There has been an apology, of sorts.
Farage has been strangely silent for the past two weeks or so. Baffling.