Thread by @tony_nog

#Marr
1) What did Farage mean?
This interview, from 11 minutes in, should disturb anyone who cares about democracy. The implications for the #Brexit party are:
- Farage cannot be removed as Leader, by design
- the party is being run "like a company"

channel4.com/news/nigel-far…

2) - "smart business people" are making all the decisions - in who's interest?
- No one can join as a member
- Farage "listens to the subscribers" but decides policy
- most disturbing, he clearly states he is "tired of the democratic processes from the voluntary wing of UKIP"

3) this "being tired of democratic process" shows that this is deliberate, not an accident of being "only 6 weeks old"

And the #Brexit party is *not* 6 weeks old, it's been in planning for over 2 years

This iron grip on membership, leadership & policy is by design

4) what's even more concerning is that when #Brexit Party supporters are pressed on this total lack of democracy they say:
a) "it's only a temporary party" - (it's not) or
b) "I don't give a shit about that internal democracy stuff" - actual quote

5) some people have suggested that the reason Farage won't allow any members in his party is because he attracts "undesirables" who could embarrass him ("BxP member tweeted racist attacks).
People can pay money to BxP, but they are locked out of joining

6) this is a fascinating but disturbing concept. A party can publish "Breaking point" type material to whip up division, support and cash from populist anti immigrant rhetoric, but protects itself from those supporters by locking them out of the party in case they embarrass it

7) so we have a 2 year old #Brexit party excusing a lack of democracy on "we're only 6 weeks old", with a leader who *cannot* be deposed and who decides all policy

A leader openly "tired of party democratic process"

A party you can subscribe to but cannot join or influence

8) A party which is standing an MP with no manifesto (pro NHS, anti?, Housing? Local priorities?)

And whose supporter base doesn't care about any of this. Doesn't care about manifestos (they get ripped up anyway) or Farage being leader for life or the lack of party democracy

9) an authoritarian, totalitarian, populist, closed off, Leader for life party which is supposed to be fighting for Democracy?

Why aren't people like @peston,@AndrewMarr9, @maitlis, @bbclaurak, @bbcnickrobinson more concerned?
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