Nigel Farage of rudeness18 Rampage: 19 26/02/2010, Martin Kettle, comment, comment is free, European Commission, European Union, guardian.co.uk, Herma

Nigel Farage of rudeness18 Rampage: 19 26/02/2010, Martin Kettle, comment, comment is free, European Commission, European Union, guardian.co.uk, Herman Van Rompuy, politics, Independence Party UK (UKIP ), news of the UK, world news, Guardian Unlimited

UKIP MEP is trying desperately to get noticed, and some have come to your bait

Nigel Farage, is a character in search of an audience. Desperate, even so madly. There is virtually nothing of the former leader of UKIP (and still most prominent figure of the party) would not do it at the time of return to be seen and spoken. Only this week did a good (and in my opinion, more gently) reported on the attack on the European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, and then managed to create such a stir on the BBC's Question Time being very rude about Belgium , which managed to unite all others on the panel (and enough of the audience) against him.


Why is he doing this? In part because he can. Partly because being rude to strangers is what comes naturally. Mainly, however, is that Farage is running for Parliament. Farage decision to take the President Commons, John Bercow, in Buckingham, in the general election, at first glance may seem rather an intelligent decision - the main parties give the President a free path so the field was open. Lately, however, must have seemed to Farage who was on a hiding to nothing, especially since the entry into the field of Buckingham's former Conservative MP John Stephens, who is so pro-Europe, anti Farage.


So Farage is engaged in a campaign to draw attention. Perhaps hoping to emulate the anti-European Tory MEP Daniel Hannan whose denunciation of Gordon Brown in Parliament became a wonder of the web for a while. But what she really wants is to get on TV as much as possible. Nothing pleased him more than being suspended by the European Parliament by its chairman, Jerzy Buzek, who has called for a chat Farage Stern about his behavior.


There is a dilemma. To write about Nigel Farage is rewarding bad behavior. It's what he wants. So they should not. But that's journalism for you. And worse, it is important to draw the line. Some of the reports of insults Farage and some of the interviews he has been very lenient with his rudeness to foreigners. And, yes, of course, the view of many Members of standing on his injured dignity has its absurd side. At day's end, however, Members are right to object and Farage is wrong to be offensive. It was good for a questions to the panelists opposed it as strongly as they did. Facing Farage, do not rise to his bait. Never forget, however, that against all appearances, is serious.

Party UK Independence (UKIP)
European Commission
Herman Van Rompuy
European Union
Martin Kettle


guardian.co.uk © Guardian News