Thread by @Socialist_Chris

Nigel Farage is a racist climate change denier who hides his tax dealings, supports authoritarian leaders across the globe and associates with known conspiracy theorists.

But do take my word for it. THREAD.

So, just to preface this. I won't be talking much about Brexit here. The reason being - it's been done. To death. And to the detriment of debate about how dangerous Farage actually is, and what he actually believes. We'll touch on it, but it ain't front row centre.

It's hard to know where to start with Farage, frankly. After doing the research that I have on him, it's stunning to think that he's the favourite for the European Elections. Sorry, stunning? I meant horrifying. But let's start with the young Farage, and work our way from there.

Farage attended Dulwich College in London from 1975 to 1982 and became active with the Tories. In 2013, Channel 4 printed a letter from a young English teacher named Chloe Deakin from that time.

channel4.com/news/nigel-far…

Deakin described Farage as espousing racist and neo-fascist views in the letter and pleaded with the master of the college not to make Farage a prefect. Here is an excerpt from the article above.

In 1982, Farage left school and became a commodities broker in the City of London. He had been a member of the Conservatives from 1978, but in 1992 he left in protest when Maastricht was signed. Some necessary background.

But let's get into the meat of all this. I'm going to go through my charges, one by one.

Is Nigel Farage a racist? Let's find out (you already know the answer).

Of course, I opened with the Breaking Point picture. We all know the background there. But that was the tip of the iceberg.

Do we all remember the racist comments he made regarding Romanians? Let me refresh your memories.

ibtimes.co.uk/ukips-nigel-fa…

Farage unsurprisingly doubled down on these comments after the interview. One thing that he seemingly has a tendency to do is release an incredibly vitriolic statement and then quietly roll it back afterwards. The message, of course, has already been received by many.

But Farage has no problem with casual racism across the board. He indulged in antisemitic tropes back in 2017, when he talked about the "Jewish lobby" in the United States and conflated all Jews in the United States with Israel.

independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

Farage doesn't seem to have much of a problem with anti-semitism, considering his vitriolic support for Viktor Orban of Hungary, who has constantly been criticised for AS and using racist tropes. Here's an excerpt from an article he did in Hungary.

hungarytoday.hu/nigel-farage-o…

And here's an article from... today, actually. Video has emerged of Farage discussing fronting a global alliance of the far-right which would include Orban as well as Rodrigo Duterte, the infamous president of the Philippines.

theguardian.com/politics/2019/…

It's important to realise that despite the fact that Farage has forced himself to the forefront of a single issue in the UK, he has an agenda.

The video above highlights that - as do his several appearances on the Alex Jones show in the United States.

heraldscotland.com/news/17622283.…

In the article, he also claims that climate change is a "scam" being used to advance this "one-world government".

Farage knows what he's doing.

Just to check another name off the racist checklist, he's also supported well known racist Marine Le Pen.

independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

And of course there's the Islamophobia. He's practically built a career from it.

theguardian.com/politics/2015/…

The original founder of the Brexit Party, Christine Blaiklock, was forced to resign after making a number of Islamophobic comments, coincidentally (not coincidental)

metro.co.uk/2019/03/20/lea…

Oh - and big hugs for Putin ofc from Farage

theguardian.com/politics/2014/…

So, we've established that Farage dabbles in all kinds of racism. And particularly loves racist, authoritarian figures.

Not exactly the MO of someone fighting for democracy. More the MO of someone using a single issue to advance an agenda. Let's continue.

So, I basically consider climate change denial to be up there with drowning puppies and seriously listening to Simply Red.

Nigel Farage is not my favourite person. This, from 2015, describes how he wanted to repeal the Climate Change Act.

climatechangenews.com/2015/03/11/nig…

Of course, "not having a clue" on climate change didn't stop him from going onto the Alex Jones show and claiming that it was a globalist hoax. Here's the original article from the Guardian regarding that story.

theguardian.com/politics/2019/…

Farage has done his bit to disparage renewables too.

“I think wind energy is the biggest collective economic insanity I’ve seen in my entire life. I’ve never seen anything more stupid, more illogical, or more irrational.”

I have mate.

Farage is willing to use any issue to elevate himself and his hidden agenda. Such are the tactics of the far-right. But let's move on to his tax affairs. Nigel of course is well known for being STRONG on tax avoidance.

newstatesman.com/politics/2013/…

REALLY... strong...

theguardian.com/politics/2014/…

...really really strong...

theguardian.com/politics/2013/…

...rly strn tho... (where's the shredder)

independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

OH THAT'S OKAY THEN THANK GOODNESS

theguardian.com/business/2014/…

Farage's dealings in regard to the Isle of Man are of course, interesting.

The Isle of Man angrily refute the charge of being a tax haven. But as many have said, it sure is a good place to go if you want to pay less tax.

theguardian.com/news/2017/nov/…

Coincidentally, this is from 2009.

theguardian.com/politics/2009/…

Let's fall down another rabbit hole. A lot of you will remember when Nigel Farage claimed that he was "skint" in 2017 and that there was no money in politics.

bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-pol…

This version of the story came out in the Guardian. I highlight it because it mentions the £4 million townhouse.

That's been in the news recently, courtesy of a Mr Banks.

theguardian.com/politics/2017/…

We know now of course that Aaron Banks has been banksrolling (yes I went there) Farage - including the bills for the townhouse.

independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

Coincidentally, remember "Thorn in the Side", Farage's business from earlier?

Five months after he declared himself skint, it turned out they were doing quite well.

theguardian.com/politics/2019/…

Another thing that you may well have missed was Aaron Banks attending DUP fundraisers and supporting Nigel Farage joining the DUP in 2019.

One silver lining considering recent events is that we in Northern Ireland may be spared such horror.

thetimes.co.uk/article/nigel-…

When I say horror, it isn't hyperbole. Farage considers the democratic will of the Northern Irish people to be "utterly loathsome".

See what I did there?

theguardian.com/politics/2015/…

So. I've gone through the meat of my original tweet and ticked all those boxes. At this point, I think it's time for a bit of pot luck. Here's a few bonus balls that I missed along the way.

Mad things Farage wants to do. Legalise handguns. There's one.

telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/…

Here's when he wanted to privatise the NHS in 2014.

theguardian.com/politics/2014/…

Here's when he wanted to privatise the NHS in 2019.

theguardian.com/politics/2019/…

Coincidentally the change in rhetoric from privatisation to a sort of PFI fudge, in my opinion, is one we've seen across the board from the right-wing. Softly softly, privatise by stealth until it's happened and we don't realise it. A personal aside but a point I wanted to make.

Here's Farage supporting fracking back in 2013.

Give it a ratio you could take home and show to the family.

https://twitter.com/nigel_farage/status/358285710450638848

And an article from 2013 also where he calls fracking a "God given chance" for Kent.

kentonline.co.uk/deal/news/fara…

Or the time when Farage "explained" the gender pay gap (Sky's framing, not mine) and declared that women were worth less than men in the workplace.

news.sky.com/story/farage-w…

He also believes that smoking is entirely safe.

Darn those clever people.

businessinsider.com/nigel-farage-d…

It all sounds so Trumpian. And of course, it is really.

theguardian.com/politics/2016/…

“I moved on her and I failed, I’ll admit it ... I did try and fuck her. I moved on her like a bitch, but I couldn’t get there. And she was married."

theguardian.com/politics/2016/…

You've probably forgotten about George Cottrell too, an aide to Farage. He was arrested in 2017 by the FBI on fraud and money laundering charges. With a plea deal, a twenty year sentence was reduced to eight months.

theguardian.com/politics/2017/…

I'm sure we'll never see him ag- OH FFS (three days ago)

mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…

It was revealed in 2015 that whilst Farage was leader, a UKIP activist inflitrated Stand Up to UKIP and encouraged members to commit criminal damage and aggressively abuse Farage.

theguardian.com/politics/2015/…

Farage also had a car crash in 2016 - something he was quick to claim was a possible assassination attempt.

telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/…

Except it wasn't. In fact, the claims were utterly rubbished by the man who repaired the car.

thetimes.co.uk/article/farage…

Farage on this occasion was quick to say that he'd made a mistake.

Pretty big mistake to make when you claim that someone removed all the nuts from the wheel of your car.

telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/…

This feels almost ridiculous. Trust me when I say I could probably continue this for an hour. I have that much material.

A few more and then we're done.

There's the time when Rage Against the Machine told him to fuck off (paraphrasing)

theguardian.com/music/2018/jul…

There's the time he claimed that no-one but his wife could be his secretary, it would be literally impossible

telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/…

There's the time when he supported the campaign for a Trump favourite in the Pennsylvanian Senate race last year

theguardian.com/politics/2018/…

There's the time in 2013 where he spoke out against sanctions and military threats against Iran...

...And there's the time in 2018 where he spoke out against Jeremy Corbyn for not being aggressive enough towards... Iran.

lbc.co.uk/radio/presente…

And there is also the time when he arrived late to a meeting in 2014 and blamed... you got it, immigration.

telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/…

And to finish off. Let's not forget the £350 million claim.

Farage might not have come up with it and claimed as much afterwards.

Didn't hear him refuting it much either (because he didn't, and rolled with it)

independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

This list should not be the profile of someone elevated to the mainstream.

But Farage has been.

33 appearance on Question Time this century. More than anyone else.

thenational.scot/news/17631396.…

A man who has appeared on the Alex Jones show several times is the man who has had the most appearances this century on the BBC's flagship political panel show.

Let that sink in.

(Of course, Nige doesn't think he's been on enough)

mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…

So I think I'm going to bring it to a close. Thank you if you've read this far.

I felt this was an important thread to create before the European Elections tomorrow.

A vote for Farage's single issue protest is a vote to keep him as a prominent figure in British politics.

An old favourite to finish. All my best, and don't vote for #Farage or his #BrexitParty

metro.co.uk/2016/12/28/nig…

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