During a heated Brexit campaign event, musician Bob Geldof shouted “shut up” at Nigel Farage, according to accounts from those present. The incident occurred as the two clashed over the UK’s EU membership, with Geldof reportedly making V-signs at the then-Ukip leader.
The confrontation was part of a wider five-month period in 2016 that shaped the UK’s future, including Boris Johnson’s decision to back Leave, the murder of MP Jo Cox, and David Cameron’s resignation. The referendum date was set for 23 June 2016, with Johnson announcing his Leave stance the following day.
Senior Conservative backbencher Bernard Jenkin, who campaigned for Leave, recalled warning Cameron against holding a referendum, fearing it would split the party. Cameron reportedly underestimated the scale of Conservative opposition, telling Jenkin that “50 Conservative MPs may vote leave, but we can live with that.”
David Lidington, a close Cameron ally, described the referendum as an attempt to “lance the boil” of internal party discontent over Europe. He compared the strategy to “chucking lumps of red meat to pursuing wolves,” warning they would “come back for more.”
Craig Oliver, director of communications for the Remain campaign, said he entered the campaign with a “bleak view,” believing the party would turn on Cameron regardless of the result. Will Walden, Johnson’s communications director, revealed Johnson was “genuinely divided” and took hours to decide, eventually making an announcement that “changed the course of history.”
Labour MP Jess Phillips admitted she underestimated Johnson’s threat, viewing him as “just a fool.” The campaign intensified when a government leaflet warning of Brexit dangers was sent to every household, dismissed by Leave campaigners as “project fear.”
