Barmy Army
Here's an article about UKIP that's well worth reading because it's one of the most vacuous, empty-headed opinion pieces I've read in a long time by a former tabloid journalist, Patrick O'Flynn, who is now and MEP and UKIP's communications director.
God save us all, because this ridiculous person has absolutely nothing of substance to say for himself or his party, other than his claim that Nigel Farage is an man of principle would you believe.
Now this must be the same Nigel Farage who has made millions out of his Euro MEP expenses, who employes his wife as his secretary (on Euro MEP expenses) and who organised a tax avoidance scam by putting some of his money into an offshore trust.
So who's kidding who here - not so much a People's Army as a 'Barmy Army', if you ask me.
Why I felt it was my patriotic duty to stand for Ukip
I LEFT the Daily Express with tears in my eyes after 17 gloriously happy years working for it, first as political correspondent, then political editor and finally for more than eight years as chief political commentator.
By: Patrick O'Flynn - The Express
Ukip deputy leader Paul Nuttall, Nigel Farage and Patrick O’Flynn [REX]
I knew I would miss the camaraderie of colleagues, the buzz of daily deadlines and of course you – the readers.
But I also knew that I had to go.
The reason was that I was sure I could make my most powerful contribution to the great patriotic cause of getting Britain out of the EU and restoring it to its rightful status as a proud self-governing country by doing something else.
That something else was to take a senior position within Ukip – first as its director of communications and now in elected office as a member of the European Parliament.
My job was to help Nigel Farage deliver the political earthquake that he had promised.
And in that regard it is mission accomplished.
But now we face an even bigger challenge; to get Ukip MPs into the House of Commons next year in good numbers so we can make sure that whoever is in government you finally get that referendum on EU membership.
Under the leadership of Nigel Farage I am sure we can do it.
The man is a phenomenon with the stamina of a long-distance runner and the constitution of an ox.
It has been an honour to have been by his side over recent months, helping him to withstand the intense pressure that he has been put under.
There was no doubt that the establishment would attack Ukip during the European elections campaign.
But I have been taken aback by the ferocity of the onslaught, both from Leftwing activists and media allies of the establishment parties.
Nigel was physically assaulted twice during the campaign and only his security team has kept him safe.
Newspapers that ostensibly agree with Ukip on many political issues have run smear stories with glee – though I am heartened to be able to exempt the Daily Express from that charge as it was the one paper that gave us a fair shake throughout.
But Nigel stayed cheerful and kept going.
It was also my privilege to help with the research and briefing effort that went into those TV debates against Nick Clegg.
Polls at the time showed Nigel was the clear victor and the election results have underlined the point.
So thanks again for the leg up, Nick.
Quite early into my tour of duty as Ukip’s chief spin doctor, I was asked to take on the additional role of campaign director.
That was especially daunting as it took me into areas that were outside my experience and expertise.
But I think it went OK.
I knew I would miss the camaraderie of colleagues, the buzz of daily deadlines and of course you – the readers.
But I also knew that I had to go.
The reason was that I was sure I could make my most powerful contribution to the great patriotic cause of getting Britain out of the EU and restoring it to its rightful status as a proud self-governing country by doing something else.
That something else was to take a senior position within Ukip – first as its director of communications and now in elected office as a member of the European Parliament.
My job was to help Nigel Farage deliver the political earthquake that he had promised.
And in that regard it is mission accomplished.
But now we face an even bigger challenge; to get Ukip MPs into the House of Commons next year in good numbers so we can make sure that whoever is in government you finally get that referendum on EU membership.
Under the leadership of Nigel Farage I am sure we can do it.
The man is a phenomenon with the stamina of a long-distance runner and the constitution of an ox.
It has been an honour to have been by his side over recent months, helping him to withstand the intense pressure that he has been put under.
There was no doubt that the establishment would attack Ukip during the European elections campaign.
But I have been taken aback by the ferocity of the onslaught, both from Leftwing activists and media allies of the establishment parties.
Nigel was physically assaulted twice during the campaign and only his security team has kept him safe.
Newspapers that ostensibly agree with Ukip on many political issues have run smear stories with glee – though I am heartened to be able to exempt the Daily Express from that charge as it was the one paper that gave us a fair shake throughout.
But Nigel stayed cheerful and kept going.
It was also my privilege to help with the research and briefing effort that went into those TV debates against Nick Clegg.
Polls at the time showed Nigel was the clear victor and the election results have underlined the point.
So thanks again for the leg up, Nick.
Quite early into my tour of duty as Ukip’s chief spin doctor, I was asked to take on the additional role of campaign director.
That was especially daunting as it took me into areas that were outside my experience and expertise.
But I think it went OK.
Nigel Farage promised a political earthquake - and he certainly delivered [REUTERS]
Can we get our country back? You bet we can
The main reason for our success is, of course, that I had the best product to sell; an authentic man of principle in Nigel Farage.
All of Ukip’s supporting cast have played their part and I am very proud of our mainly young team.
But without our leader we would not have come close to the result that has been achieved.
I miss my Saturday politics column – though I must say that Macer Hall has already established his successor column as essential reading.
I miss the buzz of the newsroom too.
But I know the Daily Express and you – its magnificent army of readers – will continue to fight shoulder to shoulder with Ukip and against the Brussels superstate.
Back in November 2010, when this newspaper took up the cause of Better Off Out, few would have thought that we would get so far so quickly.
Between Ukip and the Daily Express we have already forced the Tories to promise an In/Out referendum.
I am convinced that we can now force a weakened Labour party to do the same.
And if the Lib Dems still mattered we could force their hand as well.
On that day when the Daily Express turned Better Off Out, I remember speaking to a senior media figure.
“It’s a brave move and good luck with it,” he said, “but of course you will never get anywhere.”
Well from where I am standing it looks like we just did.
We are not there yet but nobody serious any longer writes off our chances.
There are now nearly 40,000 members of Ukip and hundreds of thousands more people who march in step with our People’s Army.
But I shall always regard the Daily Express as the media wing of the Better Off Out movement.
Can we get our country back?
You bet we can.
Can we get our country back? You bet we can
The main reason for our success is, of course, that I had the best product to sell; an authentic man of principle in Nigel Farage.
All of Ukip’s supporting cast have played their part and I am very proud of our mainly young team.
But without our leader we would not have come close to the result that has been achieved.
I miss my Saturday politics column – though I must say that Macer Hall has already established his successor column as essential reading.
I miss the buzz of the newsroom too.
But I know the Daily Express and you – its magnificent army of readers – will continue to fight shoulder to shoulder with Ukip and against the Brussels superstate.
Back in November 2010, when this newspaper took up the cause of Better Off Out, few would have thought that we would get so far so quickly.
Between Ukip and the Daily Express we have already forced the Tories to promise an In/Out referendum.
I am convinced that we can now force a weakened Labour party to do the same.
And if the Lib Dems still mattered we could force their hand as well.
On that day when the Daily Express turned Better Off Out, I remember speaking to a senior media figure.
“It’s a brave move and good luck with it,” he said, “but of course you will never get anywhere.”
Well from where I am standing it looks like we just did.
We are not there yet but nobody serious any longer writes off our chances.
There are now nearly 40,000 members of Ukip and hundreds of thousands more people who march in step with our People’s Army.
But I shall always regard the Daily Express as the media wing of the Better Off Out movement.
Can we get our country back?
You bet we can.
