Express columnist and Conservative councillor Mieka Smiles has criticised Nigel Farage for resigning as an MP, arguing he broke the cardinal rule of politics by insulting his voters. Writing for the Express, Smiles said Farage's decision to trigger a by-election over a row about his donations was a mistake that damages his brand, win or lose.
Farage's Resignation Sparks Criticism
Smiles initially rolled her eyes when she heard Farage had a "big announcement" to make, but was left with her jaw on the floor when he revealed he was resigning as an MP. She acknowledged that many Reform supporters back his decision, but her first thought was that he had insulted his voters. "Even as a councillor, being elected is a huge honour," she wrote. "People have gone to the ballot box, ticked the box next to your name and put their faith in you to represent the area they call home."
Smiles said she cannot imagine a circumstance where you would play roulette with this privilege. Instead, Farage has decided to put a national issue of the so-called "establishment stitch up" over his finances to his constituents. She added that she is not convinced many locals would have been that bothered about the row over his donations, but they will be now.
Cost and Competitor Issues
The second mistake, according to Smiles, was that Farage overlooked the cost of the by-election. Reform UK has prided itself on cracking down on wasting taxpayers' cash, but the cost of the palaver was something Farage and his team had somewhat overlooked. He didn't mention it in his initial announcement, and it was only when people started calling him out on social media that he followed up with a statement that Reform was going to fund it. However, Smiles noted that the Government quickly pointed out that this would be impossible given the obvious conflict of a party funding its own election.
Farage's final cock-up, Smiles argued, was his inability to think about who he might face in the competition. In quick succession, all of the major parties ruled themselves out of putting up a candidate, and now his main competitor is Count Binface, which has left him in an awkward position. "If he wins, it's against a bin. If he loses, it's against a bin," she wrote.
Broader Implications
Although Smiles believes Farage will win comfortably, she thinks there will be a quiet majority of people in the UK who agree it has been a bit of a shambolic move and totally unnecessary. She added that it points to something worrying about Farage: "You can't throw your toys out of the pram when the going gets tough. And certainly not if you ever do make it to PM."
