[Bloom] said that although Mr Farage acted as a "charismatic" and "articulate" salesman for the Ukip brand he is not up to the role of "managing director or chairman of the board."This is not the first time that Bloom has criticised Farage, and it is probably not lost on most that these comments have only happened after Bloom fell out with him. He was more than happy to be on the gravy train and keep quiet when it suited. Now he's seen which way the wind is blowing out he comes.
Asked if he believed Mr Farage was intelligent, Mr Bloom replied: "In what way?"
By contrast, Mr Bloom said there were many "bright young people" waiting in the wings of Ukip but that Mr Farage was blocking their chances of coming "to the surface" of the party. He added: "Nigel has been doing it for twenty years, I think perhaps one might argue that's too long.”
Nor are we sure Bloom is the right man to criticise others for “not being up to the job” given his ban from hotels after relieving himself in the corridors and being caught in public cavorting with prostitutes.
When we look at his interview in full (at the bottom of the Telegraph article) it's 46:30 minutes long yet nearly 42 minutes of that time is spent with Bloom defending his attitude to women. His comments about Farage don't come until near the end. How this is supposed to further the Eurosceptic cause boggles my mind.
That said the nature of the messenger doesn't always negate the message. With UKIP more prominent, more scrutiny comes with the territory. And under such intense scrutiny Bloom is right Farage is clearly coming up short. With Farage also currently under a very serious Police investigation we wonder how long he will be around as leader.
Regardless of Farage's issues he remains the only man in the land who speaks for most thinking people who regard a Federal Europe as a disastrous future. Little wonder he's getting the "Enoch" and then some treatment. No doubt Bloom and many others will be dishing the dirt for their own ends.
ReplyDeleteI don't disagree that Bloom has his own agenda - I noted that in the piece - but the experience of many former members would confirm the essence of his complaints. A clear pattern emerges...Farage is by no means the only one who speak for "us".
DeleteUKIP would always get the "Enoch" treatment, but that doesn't negate the fact that UKIP often bring it upon themselves and Farage is now out of his depth.
Bloom's a creature of Farage's creation. He was doing what he'd always done and walked into a trap. Farage was obliged to feed him to the wolves.
DeleteFarage is the only leader of a political party warning about the disaster unfolding with the EU. He appeals to the emotions but not so much to reason. Many people think he's put leaving the EU on the back burner and has decided to hoover up various protest votes.
There are various dangers in making UKIP The Farage Show.
There's too much for him to do.
It gives the impression of being a one man show rather than a political machine moving forwards, based on a set of values and ideals.
It makes everything reliant on him, a single point of failure.
Not everyone warms to his personality.
"The Enoch treatment" was predictable. They might have foreseen some of the fairly obvious traps and avoided them, rather than dive in head first.
Most thinking people, those who hope for a political career at least, do at least know when and when not to 'shoot from the lip' and what is, and what is not, advisable to say - and how to say it without destroying ones credibility. Farage does not give the impression of being a 'thinking person', nor do most of those who follow him, as nice and decent and honest and hard working etc. as they may be.
DeleteI find myself with the opposite opinion to Mr Bloom this time.
ReplyDeleteMy worry is that Farage is the only man for the job; that he is UKIP.
If he was replaced with a bog standard MP type, I fear the party would disappear.
"My worry is that Farage is the only man for the job; that he is UKIP."
DeleteYes, spot on
I read on another blog, "Farage has got UKIP where it is, but Farage is also the reason they'll get no further", and I'm inclined to agree with that.
ReplyDeleteIn particular, it's not clear what position they'd be in if Farage disappeared from the scene for some reason. It would certainly be a different thing from one of the other parties losing their leader.
"Farage has got UKIP where it is, but Farage is also the reason they'll get no further"
DeleteI agree with those sentiments entirely. And you're right UKIP losing Farage would likely be devastating in the short term for the reasons we criticise him for - he's become the party.
Whatever you say about Farage, without him the EU issue would have remained firmly under the rug. Yes there are others who do condemn the EU, but mostly they are unknown to the wider general public, a situation made worse by the stance taken by the MSM and the BBC.
ReplyDeleteA Farage bashing forum . What fun ! BYEeeee .
ReplyDeleteHave a go at Bloom not me, it's his words not mine...
Delete