RECENTLY, Nigel Farage MEP, leader of UKIP in the European Parliament, baited the new, non-elected president of the European Union - the Belgian, Herman Van Rumpoy - by stating ""that you have the charisma of a damp rag and the appearance of a low grade bank clerk"".
RECENTLY, Nigel Farage MEP, leader of UKIP in the European Parliament, baited the new, non-elected president of the European Union - the Belgian, Herman Van Rumpoy - by stating "that you have the charisma of a damp rag and the appearance of a low grade bank clerk". Mr Farage's put down lasted for a full minute and contained some pretty personal comments.
A day or so later, Mr Farage appeared on the BBC1 television programme Questiontime that was held in Cardiff. The panel included a Labour minister and a Conservative shadow minister, a Plaid Cymru MP, Janet Street Porter and a couple of less well-known people.
When David Dimbleby, the chairman, referred to the outburst in Brussels, it was very clear that support for Mr Farage was virtually zero and that will have come as a huge disappointment to him and his supporters.
However, it was naive in the extreme to refer to bank workers in such a derogatory manner. I make that observation as a retired bank manager!
Mr Farage was, himself, employed for many years as someone who worked in banking circles. His intervention is likely to rebound on UKIP at the forthcoming general election.
David Owen.
17 Blair Atholl, Douglas Avenue,
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here