The nationwide rallies of Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party are well underway. In forming the party as a top down organisation Farage has succeeded in his long quoted desire to lead a party free from the internal democracy. At the rallies Farage appointee Richard Tice acts as the warm up act for the main event. Tice is articulate and borderline smooth. If he hadn’t made his name in business we could have seen him in a Conservative cabinet or even Hollywood. Clearly a key player in this new political formation.
The entry of ‘The Nigel’ into the arena is the main event, marching to the stage in his trademark suit and tie accompanied by loud rock music he milks the applause. His delivery is vintage Farage in an almost pantomime style he denounces his opponents inviting boos from the audience, but for all the razzmatazz and the claims to be anti establishment the Brexit Party is quite clearly on the Conservative right . Claims that their candidates include people with proven negotiating skills can’t disguise the fact that they all come from the business community, trade unionists from the other side of the table are notable by their absence.
Former high Tories like Annuziata Rees Mogg may have caused a rift in the family but this group are definitely more Wall Street than Main Street.
A significant proportion of the Leave supporting electorate seem oblivious to the fact that the vast majority of prominent Brexiteers are very much part of the same establishment that they cheerfully denounce. This is unlikely to change between now and the European elections but over the longer term things can be different. If as they boast the Brexit Party are here to stay then as Liberals we will need to come up with a full range of policies to counter this new force on the right.
I believe we must develop a radical set of policies that addresses the issues that caused the anger that resulted in millions voting to leave the European Union in the first place, particularly in deprived working class communities. If we can do that the sky is the limit. Both Tories and Labour are riven with divisions a situation which presents real opportunities for all progressive parties.
Sadly I believe that the Conservatives will come through their current crisis not least because as the great Jo Grimond once said there will always be a significant conservative party as there is only one way of standing still. If we look across Western Europe that same principle applies, on the centre left however it is a different matter with parties of the Socialist international having experienced electoral losses in many countries over recent years. Here in the UK the heady days of Corbyn mania are fading as the flawed heroes limitations are consistently highlighted.
Back in 2015 I wrote an article for LDV arguing that the 21st century could be a Liberal one and I still believe that. In the court of the Brexit King a negative message built on perceived betrayal is the order of the day ours has to be one of real hope. If we can get it right then we can build a strong progressive opposition to the right wing establishment that has had things its own way for far to long.
* David is a member of Horsham and Crawley Liberal Democrats