Someone needs to teach Nigel Farage how to be gracious in victory

[xmasadsboohiss]

He's so unaccustomed to it he hasn't a clue what to do. Nasty at the EU parliament today

[niceguy2]

He was just plain embarrassing before but right now he's downright dangerous.

No matter how you voted, he's hardly helping our cause when we have to now go negotiate with the EU countries when he's stood there poking and antagonising them. The guy in the back facepalming summed it up.

[scarlets]

The grandstanding was discourteous and embarrassing. What a liability he is.

[howrudeforme]

And by his appalling act, has just made the EU more hostile to the UK. Cheers. What a liability he is.

[PresidentCJCregg]

I don't think anyone can teach that man anything. He knows it all.

[tinymeteor]

No, we need to let him be exactly the obnoxious tosser he is, so maybe people will see who they voted for. You can't polish a turd.

[GertrudeSmellsDivine]

Just shoot him someone, please. It's quicker and less painful.

[cdtaylornats]

For the absence of doubt

[xmasadsboohiss]

The thing that gets me is that he's not so poor nor so naive that he can't afford a bit of media and PR training but as President says he knows it all.

[janethegirl2]

He could well bugger up any discussions we're likely to have with the EU. He should be gagged or permanently muzzled for safety.

[BigChocFrenzy]

Our future prosperity depends on negotiating with them, so of course that egoistic maniac publicly insults them in the EU parliament.

Ukip’s only MP, Douglas Carswell - who split from Farage a long time ago, also criticised the speech: “resorting to that sort of language is possibly not in the national interest. It struck precisely the wrong tone.”

Yes, Farage has a Parliamentary split when UKIP only have 1 bloody MP

[Xenophile]

It was the victory speech he has been waiting his whole political life to make, and he used it for schoolboy taunts and general dickishness.

Hopefully now his fan club will see him for who he really is, however, I have found that people who indulge in the kind of far right rhetoric he expounds tend not to be all that bothered when their leaders turn out to be utter wankers. If anything, it merely encourages them.

[supersoftcuddlytoys]

I am not a Ukiper and I agree Farage is a tit and something of a national embarrassment. But all nations have these. At the very least though, he has the courage of his convictions which isn't terribly easy to find nowadays.

There is a gruelling, tough negotiation process about to begin with the EU parliament. Farage is letting them know he is coming from a position of confidence, strength, unity, and surefootedness. Which is not such a bad thing - in the circumstances. I agree, of course he didn't need to be as yobbish, offensive and brash with it, but that's him.

What is far worse IMO, is to let the people you're negotiating with know before the process even begins, that you are desperately, profoundly sorry to be have to be doing this. That it's not what you want. Like that Scottish MEP Smith did. Reminding the EU that a great many of his compatriots don't want to be doing this either and pleading with them to understand. What kind of language is “Please please - I beg you” in that kind of environment? Showing remorse and how fearful he is, and how weak a position he and his nation's in, by cringing and fawning for their understanding and compassion.

This is not the way to behave in my view. I was surprised he didn't throw his head in the lady next to him's lap - sobbing. What a snivelling, embarrassing little squirt! He ought to be recalled immediately and put in the stocks outside Holyroode castle..

[BeckerLleytonNever]

Someone needs to tach the EU committee and theremainers to be gracious in defeat.

[supersoftcuddlytoys]

I agree totally Becker. I was pro-remain and as a member of the losing side, I'm quite appalled at the establishment/media attempt to paint every Brexiter with the xenophobia/racist brush. As well as the back peddling that's going on now. There's even talk about the referendum being illegal, FFS!! So this is what the establishment does when they get the vote they don't like? It's a disgrace...

[Winterbiscuit]

The media has given Farage far too much of a platform. It's astonishing how many people now think he's in charge of Brexit and assume that all leavers share his views and approve of his behaviour. In the campaigns, where was the coverage of left-wing spokespersons, people from outside the South East, or non-wealthy representatives of the leave side?

[BeckerLleytonNever]

Super you must be the only one remainer whos NOT calling us leavers the things you've mentioned. Thank you for that.

I was quite prepared to accept and acquiesce (sp) a remain result. I would have respected the democratic vote.

as for NF, good for him. hes been laughed at/ridiculed for years, let the man have his moment. No hes not the only one campaigning for the Brexit, and at times I cringe a bit as he could be a bit more sensitive and diplomatic, but Im glad he said what he said to the committee, they were very rude to him.

[ProfessorPreciseaBug]

Another recognition for Supersoft... Thank you for not being plain nasty as many remaniers are.

However, I do feel that NF doesn't do us any favours with his unpleasant grandstanding. To openly insult someone where they work (or wait for the all expenses lunch as may be the case) is not conducive to good relations. He could/should have asked how the general population can respect someone in politics who has never had a "normal" job?

[supersoftcuddlytoys]

I'm a staunch 'remainer' after being quite pro-leave at the beginning. However I think it's very incendiary and irresponsible to suggest that immigration, meaning xenophobia and racism, is all the vote to leave was about. Doubtless for many it was, but I don't remember any other referendum or election being discussed in these terms!

I have many friends of different ethnic and social backgrounds and most of them voted leave. Some of them run small businesses and the dominant concern for them was nothing to do with immigration. It was far more about the undemocratic, excessively bureaucratic (for small businesses especially) unaccountable and it must be said - incompetent running of the EU. Issues I couldn't really argue with.

That said, I personally felt that remaining 'in' the EU, was the best thing for the nation in the long run.

I'm sickened by the way the media, (especially the BBC), are determined to slip in how much they disapprove of the vote to leave, at every opportunity. On the 'Today programme' just now, someone was talking about long - term energy sources for the UK. Justin Webb managed at the end to suggest to him that the vote to leave the EU will no doubt put all our plans for clean energy future in chaos won't they? The man answered 'Er -- no not really'.
I remember the very first opinion I heard the morning after the EU ref', again on 'Today', was someone saying how much leave campaigners are 'gloating, boasting' and 'salivating' at the result. Funny, but I don't remember anyone using similar nouns on the Today programme to describe the mood of Tory voters the morning after the recent general election?

We have our result and like it or loathe it, we need now to get to work working out an accommodation with the EU. Democracy demands nothing less. We need to begin from a position of strength and unity and this wont be possible if the media continue trying to divide up and in effect to try to smear the electorate as ignorant racists. Causing resentment and blame for the sake of a cheap little story or two.

As for Farage, as I said before he's a bellicose yob, a one trick pony who has had his day and is already, thankfully, spiralling downwards into obscurity IMO. Well, we can all dream...

[xmasadsboohiss]

Becker I am a staunch remainer and also an EU citizen but in no way do I think all leavers hold racist or xenophobic views - it would go against my experience of living here for the past couple of decades. I am deeply upset by the vote though and I think Nigel Farage damages Britain's well deserved reputation as an open, tolerant society. It's not just about him having his day in the sun - he is representing his constituents and by extension the whole country. Thankfully he's resigned - at least for today.