Matthew Walther might very well be correct when he says the UKIP will never end up in government. But I’m afraid he underestimates the ambitions of Nigel Farage. He wants the keys to Number 10 Downing Street. If Farage doesn’t get there, at the very least, he wants the UKIP to be a force that keeps Tory and Labour governments honest and influences their policies.
But the UKIP won’t be able to that very effectively when the likes of Godfrey Bloom repeatedly stumble into a stupor. Matt might very well think that Bloom’s drunken outbursts in the European Parliament are an act of subversive commentary. At best, they are a sad cry for help and, at worst, it is an exhibit of someone who insists on displaying his shortcomings at every possible opportunity.
I am fully aware that British politics has long had flamboyant characters. Indeed, I had the privilege to intern for one of these characters. But it is one thing to be politically incorrect and rough around the edges, it is another to consistently behave in a buffoonish manner. Of course, it may be that Matt likes buffoonish politicians. It would go a long way in explaining his admiration for Rand Paul.
The long and short of it is that Godfrey Bloom was doing the UKIP more harm than good. While I am sure it gave Nigel Farage no pleasure in doing so, ultimately he was correct in removing Bloom from the UKIP caucus.
