'Why we should fear for Farage, who always takes a table facing the door for safety' - Kelvin MacKenzie
Kelvin MacKenzie has expressed concern for Nigel Farage's safety, following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump
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A little while back I was talking to Nigel Farage about his personal security. It concerned me that in this ever-increasing febrile political atmosphere, he could be in danger.
Farage was well aware of the Lefty nutters out there. From his own personal pocket (our discussion was prior to him becoming an MP) he was funding the hiring of a driver/bodyguard to protect him.
At the time he had cut right back on going into bars or pubs because there was always likely to be somebody who would want a ‘’word’’ with him while he was enjoying a quiet pint.
And Farage told me that if he went to a restaurant, he wanted a table where he could face the door. It makes sense, but it's clearly worrying.
Today Farage is the best-known politician in Britain.
Almost single-handedly he won us the Brexit vote and now, from a standing start a few months ago, runs Reform which received four million voters at the General Election (more than the Lib Dims) and five MPs.
"It was only a matter of luck that Trump was unscathed," wrote Kelvin MacKenzie
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Throw in what happened to Trump on Saturday night and it’s not unreasonable to believe that Farage could be in danger. Let’s be honest it was only a matter of luck that Trump was unscathed.
As he pointed out in an interview with the New York Post, he happened to turn his head towards a screen containing immigration stats when the gunman opened fire. Had he not moved it would have been a bullet in the back of the head.
What is clear is that it’s time to clamp down on attacks of any kind on politicians. During the election campaign, Farage was drenched with a milkshake. What a laugh, claimed the Left. No, it wasn’t.
If somebody did that to you at your place of work, they would be fired on the spot and the chances of them finding work elsewhere would be very limited.
If it happens to Farage, it’s considered fair game.
What about the time the comedian Jo Brand said the following on BBC Radio 4: ‘’ Why bother with a milkshake when you could get some battery acid.’’
Instead of Brand being kicked off the BBC, the defence was that the audience would have understood the ‘’gag’’.
Imagine if you had used the same ‘’gag’’ about a lefty comedian. The roof would have fallen in.
Even Labour MPs and candidates said that during the election they were subject to outrageous bullying, harassment, intimidation and a general feeling of violence.
Farage is heading to the US this week for the Republican Convention where the big winner will be Trump.
He was leading in the polls against Biden in any event, but the intended assassination will have cemented his victory for November.
As Farage says in an article he wrote for The Telegraph: ‘’It shouldn’t be normal to throw cement, rocks or drink at me. And yet, for many on the Left, the language of violence has become their last resort. And now we’re seeing the consequences.’’
Trump was lucky. We have had two MPs (one Labour, one Tory) in our country who have not been so lucky. It is important for Farage and more all our legislators that security is stepped up. There are some very nasty people out there.
And remember, they only have to be lucky once.