Nigel Farage steps down as head of UKIP

Nigel Farage - Twitter ^ | 05.08.2015 | Nigel Farage

[Perdogg]

I have today written to UKIP's National Executive Committee and offered my resignation. I look forward to a well deserved holiday!— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) May 8, 2015

[UKrepublican]

He is right though.

You would have to see it to be believe the onslaught this man has had to put up with. He is a saint.

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

It is, unfortunately, the ‘cycle of life’ for countries. They start out with populations that work hard toward common goals and grow wealthy and powerful. Eventually, the core rots away and the power of the country or empire collapses.

It happened with Biblical Israel, The Roman Empire, the British Empire and now, the American political/economic empire. What is that old saying that a people realized they can vote to get other people’s money instead of working for their own money? THAT is the tipping point. Unfortunately, I believe that the UK, USA, and Canada have all passed that point. ‘Conservatives’ get elected one only slow down the inevitable decline.

The best hope is that Christianity in China continues to grow by leaps and bounds, changing their political system, as ‘Christendom’ slowly crumbles under the mass is socialism and the onslaught of mohamedanism.

[Unmarked Package]

There is too much pessimism in this thread. I recommend reading a post by FReeper Teacher317 in another thread about the recent UK election results (quoted below). The trajectory of UKIP in the UK since its founding is spectacularly positive, especially considering yesterday's results.

I disagree. They got one seat (but their leader lost in his good shot at a second seat). They never had a seat before. (They formed in 1993.)

They are now the #3 party in UK by votes (which is an important position in a first-past-the-post system).

I wouldn't say this was a loss. Quadrupling your support over the previous election is darn pretty good!!

UKIP votes: 1993 - formed
1997 - 105,000 votes and 0.3 percent
2001 - 390,000 votes and 1.6 percent
2005 - 606,000 votes and 2.2 percent
2010 - 980,000 votes and 3.8 percent
2015 - 3,840,000 votes and 12.8 percent

When just 37 percent of the vote can give you a clear majority of the House, 13 percent and rising fast ain't bad!!!

[Lazamataz]

I want Nigel Farage as the SecGen of the UN, and *then*.... and ONLY then.... I will get behind Global Government.

[indthkr]

UK bump for later....

[CPT Clay]

Could the 3.8 million ukip voters move to about 50 districts and take over majority in those?

[dfwgator]

Churchill was in the wilderness, too, at one point.

[UKrepublican]

That’s a good point to remember.

[Vanders9]

Its more a question of telling the press that.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Don’t worry. In a few months Nigel will be back and ready for the battle. Who else has the force of personality to push UKIP? Without him they will wilt away and die.

[ohioman]

I am afraid you are 100% correct.

[fieldmarshaldj]

He’s a great man.

[Impy]

He seems like an egomaniac to me. I think the party would be better served with a new leader. But hey what do I know, I’ve never been one for folk heroes.

In any case, the UKIP executive committee “unanimously” urged him to reconsider and stay on as leader, and he agreed. I doubt he ever had any intention of stepping down, political theater.

Says he may run in a by-election next time a Labour seat in the north opens up. They came in 2nd in a lot of those seats. Good area for them to focus on.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Impy. No one else wanted the job, I’m sure. UKIP’s only reason for being is to get the UK out of the EU and cut immigration. If the Tories (finally freed of Lib Dems) follow through on the pledge for a referendum in 2017, and cut immigration in the meantime, UKIP will dry up and blow away, with the old National Front constituency drifting back that way, the rest drifting back toward the other parties from whence they came. :’)

[UKrepublican]

What makes you think he is an egomaniac?

I think if you watched his speech at the election, it was definitely the words of a man that had every intention to stand down.

As a UKIP member myself, I can tell you that from the average member to the very top - pretty much everybody was adamant that he must stay.

[Impy]

That's just my impression from everything I've seen and read about him, seems like he's all about him, talk of internal dissent that he snuffs out. I realize he has quite a following and with all the left wing media attacks on him that you're not inclined to believe anything negative.

I think if you watched his speech at the election, it was definitely the words of a man that had every intention to stand down.

And maybe run again to succeed himself in a new election. Seems like kabuki to me that he wanted to be asked to stay.

I can tell you that from the average member to the very top - pretty much everybody was adamant that he must stay.

You want him, you got him. I would question the desire to keep the leader who came into the election with 2 seats and high hopes for more and came out of it with 1 seat, everyone knew before hand what the electoral system was.