Nigel Farage’s project falls flat as Brexit party set to win zero seats

Farage expected to focus on supporting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign as Brexit party flounders
Lisa O'Carroll
13 Dec 2019 04:15GMT

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/13/nigel-farages-project-falls-flat-as-brexit-party-set-to-win-zero-seats


 Richard Tice failed to win Hartlepool in north-east England on what looked set to be a disastrous night for the Brexit party. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters

The Brexit party is on course for a total wipeout with none of its 273 candidates expected to make the green benches of Westminster.

Nigel Farage’s party failed its first test in Peter Mandelson’s former constituency of Hartlepool in north-east England, where its chairman and most senior candidate, the property millionaire Richard Tice, was hoping to end 55 years of red rule.

Labour’s Mike Hill held on to the seat with 15,464 votes – a majority of 3,595 – seeing off Tice, who got just over 10,000 votes. But the Brexit party got 25.8% of the vote, just behind the Tories at 28.5%, suggesting the Conservative landslide would have been even greater had Farage given Boris Johnson a clear run in all seats.

Its hopes of taking another key Labour marginal, Tony’s Blair’s former seat of Sedgefield, also failed but Jeremy Corbyn’s party was left reeling nonetheless, down 17 percentage points on 2017.

Labour’s Phil Wilson, who was defending a majority of more than 6,000 votes in the seat, hit out on social media at his party’s “delusional” leadership.

Ann Widdecombe, the former Tory MP, was not expected to win for the Brexit party in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport.

Farage said his political life was not over, claiming a new party would rise from the ashes. “It will become the reform party, it will campaign, one of the reforms being getting rid of the first past the post system and giving people a choice,” he told the BBC.

The Brexit party appeared to scupper its own electoral chances in early November, announcing it would not contest the 317 seats won by the Conservatives at the 2017 general election.

Its support subsequently crashed in the polls and a further blow came when four MEPs, including Annunziata Rees-Mogg, Jacob Rees Mogg’s sister, quit the party urging voters to support the Conservatives instead, arguing it was splitting the leave vote and giving remain alliances a boost.

Their fears proved correct on the night, suggesting the Tory landslide would have been bigger had Farage stood down in all seats. In Barnsley, it took 29.2% of the vote, two points ahead of the Tories. In Gower, it was neck and neck with the Conservatives, with both parties taking 29.9%.

In Blyth Valley, a tight marginal snatched from Labour by the Conservatives, the Brexit party took 8.3% of the vote.

Following the election, Farage is expected to focus his efforts on supporting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. “If I am asked to help I will,” he told the BBC. But he said he would stay in Britain to fight for what he believed was a proper Brexit.

Farage said: “The truth of it is, half the cabinet voted remain. Michael Gove – I was with him earlier – clearly wants the softest of all Brexits.

“Boris, whilst he is committed to leave, has never really, I don’t think, been keen on leaving on WTO terms.

“My view is a big majority means that the influence of the ERG [European Research Group], the influence of those who are committed Eurosceptics, becomes a lot weaker and I would expect, I’ll predict, by 1 July we will be extending the transition period out until 2022.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/13/nigel-farages-project-falls-flat-as-brexit-party-set-to-win-zero-seats

Great Repeal Bill is a good step forward but we MUST remain vigilant, says RICHARD TICE

MONDAY night’s vote to pass the EU (Withdrawal) Bill at second reading is a step in the right direction, but we must still be vigilant against those who continue to frustrate or derail the Brexit process.

By RICHARD TICE, CO-CHAIRMAN OF LEAVE MEANS LEAVEPUBLISHED: 00:01, Wed, Sep 13, 2017

This call for vigilance is not meaningless or empty. 

While Brexiteers might find some comfort in the actions of a few honourable Labour MPs to support the Bill’s continued passage, the conditional support offered by certain MPs on the Conservative benches show that the battle to get this legislation through the Commons intact will be tough.

MPs, including some Conservative Remainers, stand ready to unleash an onslaught of 157 amendments that currently cover 59 pages.

In treading the tightrope of minority rule, the Government must be wary not to get sucked into a never-ending spiral of concessions and capitulations – remembering the purpose behind this Bill.

The desire to regain control of British sovereignty is a key reason why many across the country voted to leave the EU. 

This Bill is merely the facilitator of that desire – transferring decades of EU rules and regulation into British law in a way that will provide certainty and continuity for business.

Richard Tice insists the Great Repeal Bill is a good step forward

The arguments of this Bill’s detractors are poor excuses for their continued bitterness at being on the wrong side of last June’s referendum result. 

After this Bill is passed, Parliament and its lawmakers will have the power to amend, repeal and improve the transferred laws as appropriate. 

After all, where were their complaints when, for decade after decade, the biro brushes of countless Brussels bureaucrats waltzed their way onto the British statute books?

GETTY

Parliament and its lawmakers will have the power to amend or repeal the transferred laws

We on the leave side must still remember that, although we have a Government committed to delivering Brexit, the fight must never stop against those who seek to paint us as narrow-minded and ill-informed.

The British people will be watching Westminster’s politicians closely as this key piece of legislation inches through the parliamentary process – any attempt to hamper its progress will be seen by them as an almighty establishment stitch-up.

http://www.express.co.uk/comment/expresscomment/853274/brexit-latest-richard-tice-great-repeal-bill-step-forward-remain-vigilant

MONDAY night’s vote to pass the EU (Withdrawal) Bill at second reading ...

... is a step in the right direction, but we must still be vigilant against those who continue to frustrate or derail the Brexit process.

By RICHARD TICE, CO-CHAIRMAN OF LEAVE MEANS LEAVE

PUBLISHED: 00:01, Wed, Sep 13, 2017

Italian MEP: Punishing the UK will be punishing the whole EU

Mute

Current Time0:04

/

Duration Time1:10

Loaded: 0%

Progress: 0%

This call for vigilance is not meaningless or empty. 

While Brexiteers might find some comfort in the actions of a few honourable Labour MPs to support the Bill’s continued passage, the conditional support offered by certain MPs on the Conservative benches show that the battle to get this legislation through the Commons intact will be tough.

MPs, including some Conservative Remainers, stand ready to unleash an onslaught of 157 amendments that currently cover 59 pages.

RELATED ARTICLES

• 
  Brexit victory as Theresa May wins EU repeal vote with Labour rebels
• 
  Tory Brexiteer bashes Hilary Benn in TV clash over EU Withdrawal Bill

This call for vigilance is not meaningless or empty

In treading the tightrope of minority rule, the Government must be wary not to get sucked into a never-ending spiral of concessions and capitulations – remembering the purpose behind this Bill.

The desire to regain control of British sovereignty is a key reason why many across the country voted to leave the EU. 

This Bill is merely the facilitator of that desire – transferring decades of EU rules and regulation into British law in a way that will provide certainty and continuity for business.

EPA • GETTY

Richard Tice insists the Great Repeal Bill is a good step forward

Brexit negotiations: UK’s key policy positions

Wed, September 13, 2017

Here is a summary of the UK’s main proposals for Brexit

PLAY SLIDESHOW

GETTY IMAGES

1 of 8

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

The arguments of this Bill’s detractors are poor excuses for their continued bitterness at being on the wrong side of last June’s referendum result. 

After this Bill is passed, Parliament and its lawmakers will have the power to amend, repeal and improve the transferred laws as appropriate. 

After all, where were their complaints when, for decade after decade, the biro brushes of countless Brussels bureaucrats waltzed their way onto the British statute books?

GETTY

Parliament and its lawmakers will have the power to amend or repeal the transferred laws

We on the leave side must still remember that, although we have a Government committed to delivering Brexit, the fight must never stop against those who seek to paint us as narrow-minded and ill-informed.

The British people will be watching Westminster’s politicians closely as this key piece of legislation inches through the parliamentary process – any attempt to hamper its progress will be seen by them as an almighty establishment stitch-up.

http://www.express.co.uk/comment/expresscomment/853274/brexit-latest-richard-tice-great-repeal-bill-step-forward-remain-vigilant

Eleven reasons voters will opt for the positive choice of Brexit

As the markets try to second-guess the outcome of the EU referendum tomorrow, swinging one way and then the other, what is plain is that it is so tight that no-one really knows who will win.

Wednesday 22 June 2016 4:59am



Richard Tice

Richard Tice is co-founder of Leave.EU and chairman of the Global Britain Business Group.

Some 45 per cent of all new UK car registrations in 2015 were German-owned
 brands – meaning Angela Merkel will opt for self-interest over self-harm in any
future trade negotiation (Source: Getty)

But I continue to be confident the British people will vote to leave the EU. So to all you doubters, I say get over it, leaving will be good for us. Here are 11 reasons why I think Britain will opt for Brexit.

1. Reform? What reform?

Remember how this referendum was meant to be about a reform package negotiated by the Prime Minister? The reason no-one discusses it now is because it was worthless. He promised us “full-on treaty change”. Instead he gave us flowery words with no force of law. With so much at stake, his failure should convince people with open minds that reform of the EU from the inside is just not possible. So why hang around dreaming about the unachievable?

2. The Eurozone remains unstable

The Eurozone is not out of the woods yet. It has been a demonstrable failure, consigning millions of people – especially the young – to unemployment and never-ending austerity. All eyes are now turning to Italy as the next crisis-in-waiting. Given the country’s size, there is no guarantee that we won’t have to fork out billions for a bailout. The euro remains a huge risk to the UK, and we need to distance ourselves completely by having no ties to the EU’s chief political project.

3. Labour voters are turning to Leave

We often hear about “quiet Conservatives” who are reluctant to tell pollsters their true views. This referendum has discovered “quiet Labour voters”, as canvassers report the working class base has silently deserted Jeremy Corbyn’s half-hearted campaign. Labour voters want accountable politicians again and know the only way to achieve this is to make Westminster responsible for all of our laws.

4. Migration can be made to work for us

Despite the best attempts of some to demonise the issue, the British people are not concerned about race or religion – we are all human beings. But they are concerned about the pressures unmanaged open migration from the EU puts on schools, housing and healthcare. Businesses are also concerned about the limits placed on the number of skilled non-EU migrants. By taking control, we can benefit communities and businesses.

5. The economic opportunities trump the risks

All economic activity involves risk. The question is whether new opportunities trump the potential downsides. Even reports that are meant to rubbish Brexit show that we can grow faster after leaving the EU regulatory straitjacket. No longer held back by our often jealous EU peers, we can push forward financial services to the benefit of the City and our talented international workforce.

6. Trade deals are the future

Six of the world’s top 10 economies are not in the EU, yet Brussels has failed to secure free trade deals with any of them. As of 2014, Switzerland had trade agreements with countries with an aggregate GDP of $39.8 trillion. The EU has managed a mere $7.7 trillion – and its deals are less likely to include financial services. After Brexit, we can and will run a more liberal trade policy that will benefit the City and Britain’s vital services sector, bringing all of us more business.

7. German car sales account for 45 per cent of the UK market

There are two obvious reasons it is in no-one’s interest to initiate an EU-UK trade war. Some 45 per cent of all new UK car registrations in 2015 were German-owned brands, next was France with 17 per cent, and there are 6.5m EU workers whose jobs are linked to exports to Britain. With German and French elections next year,expect sanity not self-harm from Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande.

8. There is lots of good news to celebrate

It’s easy in the fog of war to forget the good news when fearmongering and biblical plagues are so attractive to some. Let’s remember that Avon is relocating from New York to London, Boeing has chosen the UK for its European base and, after looking around 20 global sites, Aston Martin selected Wales for its new car plant. There are so many reasons why Britain is an attractive location for international companies, and Brexit made no difference to these decisions.

9. Our economic case is a winner

Some like to think doom-laden predictions have won the day. But that would be forgetting the arguments coming from leading economists like Gerard Lyons, Roger Bootle, Andrew Lilico, Ruth Lea, Patrick Minford, and Tim Congdon. The truth is that what comes out of your model depends on your assumptions and these liberal free-traders see the upside.

10. We can be more influential than ever

The UK is once more the leading global soft power and we have competitive advantages in language, media, science, culture, and sport. Not only that, but once we leave the EU, we can regain our own seat and influence in the countless global bodies that are increasingly the source of new rules and regulations. We can do more good in the world advocating peace and tolerance than focusing on EU expansionism.

11. The British people want control

What has become clearer as the debate has developed is how the British people – across so many issues – simply want to have democratic control of their country again. We need to be able to hold our legislators and regulators to account. Government needs to be closer and restrained – only by leaving the EU can this happen. Which is why I believe it will.

And once we are out, we all need to pull together and make it work, with a negotiating team that includes business people.

City A.M.'s opinion pages are a place for thought-provoking views and debate. These views are not necessarily shared by City A.M.

http://www.cityam.com/243789/eleven-reasons-voters-opt-positive-choice