Farage is a slippery one...
I wanted to contribute to this topic when i first saw it posted, being based in England and having critically followed the politics for a few years now, Farage came to my attention particularly during the university 'student fee's protests' 2010 (to prevent the tripling of UK student fees up to £9000pa, they failed). Farage was busy in Brussels berating "Baroso" (President José Manuel Barroso - European Commission) and the 'eurocrats', popping up in my youtube feed almost daily at one point - from his UKip youtube channel - and came to the attention of many at that time an alternative.
Since then his political party UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party)for all his cutting rhetoric, nothing has changed, in his party or in the system. Well actually, UKIP have appeared often enough in papers recently, but the article is usually implying bigotry or racism. I can't say I've seen much evidence either way but the 'newer' speakers of UKIP are not nearly as lucid or persuasive as Farage and they actually do sound narrow minded (to say the least). They're all on twitter and prone to fone-in-mouth.
His speeches in the EU parliament are legendary and he is known for his plane crash, which had me suspecting he had been targeted (but this is a common assumption in the alternative media, and therefore intended? Or just a useful accident perhaps), i also watched the documentary which - if i remember rightly - portrayed a 'quirky English chap' driving hundreds of miles to Brussels and back, uninvolved in the bureaucracy with an aim to take it down from within, like Mr Bean-Bond. (Mr Bean + James Bond).
I think we're being set up..
I came across this article yesterday: _http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/video-watch-nigel-farage-squirm-3404236
I don't believe in anyway this is 'conclusive' evidence of who Farage is exactly, but he's busy milking the system and popping up on the goggle box in such a way that for me, he's like the vector for the dissatisfied, little more (and he hasn't exactly achieved anything of substance yet). That's not to say he hasn't exposed a few top Eurocrats, but then David Cameron UK PM is exposed daily for his corruption and...?
Video:
Watch Nigel Farage squirm under questioning about his £2m expenses on Have I Got News For You?
Apr 12, 2014 14:54
By Mikey Smith
The UKIP leader was grilled about his expenses - and the claim he pays both his wife and alleged mistress with public money - on the comedy game show
Nigel Farage visibly squirmed last night, as he was quizzed about his expenses and alleged mistress on Have I Got News For You?
Farage was questioned by host Stephen Mangan and team captain Ian Hislop over the £2m he claimed in expenses as a member of the European Parliament in 2009, on top of his £64,000 a year salary.
He was also grilled on claims of an affair with a his press secretary, Annabelle Fuller.
The affair, which Farage denies, would mean both his alleged former mistress and his wife Kirsten Mehr, who works as his assistant, would have taxpayer funded salaries.
Mangan quipped that Farage was an "equal opportunities employer."
The claims were made in the European Parliament by former UKIP member Nikki Sinclaire, who now represents the We Demand A Referendum party.
Farage said the allegation was made "under the cloak of parliamentary privilege" and that Sinclaire had repeatedly refused to repeat it publicly elsewhere.
A rattled Farage was caught off guard after a question about recently resigned Tory Culture Secretary Maria Miller quickly pivoted in his direction.
He tried to deflect attention from himself by pointing out his £2m expense bill had been brought to public attention by shamed Labour MP Denis MacShane.
Hislop fired back: "Yes, but he's in jail...and you're not."
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The video, which you'll have to visit the site to watch, is 1.50mins and elicits a chuckle, to be fair Farage doesn't squirm TOO much, he uncomfortably plays with his pen and prays, but seems quite delighted to participate.... considering the accusations are; cheating on your wife, payrolling both the wife AND mistress, claiming £2million pa in expenses, delighted he seems indeed. 'Allegations' he points out, probably confident little else will come of it.
an article from 2013 criticising an offshore account he set up to avoid tax provides a timeline which may be helpful:
Timeline
1999 Nigel Farage elected to European Parliament
February 2003 Farage, his brother Andrew Farage and a third director set up commodity trading firm Farage Limited.
August 2003 A document filed at Companies House stated that Nigel Farage owned no shares in Farage Limited and the Farage Family Educational Trust 1654 owned 33 shares.
May 2004 Another document filed at Companies House stated that Nigel Farage owned 33 shares in Farage Limited and the Farage Family Educational Trust owned none.
October 2004 Farage was appointed company secretary of Farage Limited.
February 2006 Farage resigned as director of Farage Limited but remained as company secretary.
September 2006 Nigel Farage became leader of UKIP.
November 2009 Nigel Farage stood down as UKIP leader.
November 2010 Farage was re-elected leader of UKIP.
May 2010 Farage failed to win a seat at Westminster in the general election.
February 2011 Nigel Farage resigned as company secretary of Farage Limited.
March 2011 HM Revenue & Customs filed a petition at the High Court to wind up Farage Limited.
July 2011 Farage Limited went into a “voluntary arrangement” to pay off its debts by 2017.
_http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ukip-leader-nigel-farage-admits-1972988#ixzz2ylz4MXdv
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I may be wrong about Farage, but after watching him for a few years, he's either a (very) useful dupe and/or compromised.