Nigel Farage Has Quit Ukip And People Are Wishing Him Well. Sort Of

Ex-leader resigns during May's Brexit nightmare, but many have still noticed.
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Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage
ASSOCIATED PRESS

If you can tear yourself away from the government’s Brexit meltdown then we have some other news for you — Nigel Farage has quit the UK Independence Party.

The three-time leader of Ukip announced his decision on Tuesday evening, explaining that he is uncomfortable with how “the party’s direction has changed fundamentally” under its current leader Gerard Batten.

Specifically, he’s unhappy with the fact that Batten has appointed former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson as a Ukip adviser.

“I believe he [Robinson] is entirely unsuitable to be involved in any political party,” Farage writes in an article published by the Telegraph. “The very idea of Tommy Robinson being at the centre of the Brexit debate is too awful to contemplate.”

On any other evening, this could be a biggest news story. But today? As the government is reeling from two historic defeats in the House of Commons? No such luck.

Still, people have spotted Farage’s update at least (thanks, Twitter), though some claimed not to care:

Right l’m going! Everyone! ... I’m going!... hey! I said I’m going... now... I’m leaving... everyone! Look at me... going... I’m going... going... now... I mean it! I’m bloody well going. Everyone... guys... anyone? pic.twitter.com/W61Wh5McF4

— Adam Bolton ❄️ (@adamjbolton) December 4, 2018

pic.twitter.com/1ETWuhn5Gq

— Paul Askew (@badukemi) December 4, 2018

Others hit their gif libraries, busted out their best jokes and were soon raking in the likes:

He's going solo. Christmas album out on the 10th. https://t.co/dNgjUiPQHy

— Simon Blackwell (@simonblackwell) December 4, 2018

Well he's achieved what he wanted to. Brexit is going so very well.

— Tom McLaughlin (@TomMcLaughlin1) December 4, 2018

Moving to Europe, is he?

— JemFace (@jem_face) December 4, 2018

Farage’s reason for leaving - which fundamentally seems to be that Ukip is leaning too far to the right - has attracted a lot of the attention:

Nigel Farage UKIP resignation statement: pic.twitter.com/14GKnFhmm7

— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) December 4, 2018

Farage quits UKIP saying that it's too racist now. Whereas up to last week it was 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.

— Michael Moran (@TheMichaelMoran) December 4, 2018

Artist’s impression of Nigel Farage quitting UKIP because it’s got a bit racist. pic.twitter.com/GMxFBXD9d5

— The Avocado Eater. (@twlldun) December 4, 2018

Why stop at Ukip https://t.co/OtannDngd5

— Hugo Rifkind (@hugorifkind) December 4, 2018

Nigel Farage, chastised and boo'ed out of politics for not being racist enough, really is the spin on 2018 we all needed

— hussein kesvani (@HKesvani) December 4, 2018

Indeed, one of the only accounts to tweet seriously on the matter - aside from those belonging to news organisations and reporters - is Ukip’s:

We thank Nigel for everything he did for UKIP and for Brexit. However, the job is far from done. We're growing every single day & UKIP is still the party standing up for Brexit and standing up #ForTheNation

— UKIP (@UKIP) December 4, 2018

Farage isn’t the only senior member to quit the party citing Robinson’s recent involvement, as three of its Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have also left in recent weeks.

Batten appointed Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, as a Ukip adviser on grooming gangs and prisons in mid-November claiming he has “great knowledge” on both topics.

On account of previously being part of the EDL, Robinson is currently barred from being a Ukip member but this has not prevented Batten from giving him the advisory role.

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