“Nigel Farage: The forgotten Brexit hero”

As the nation celebrates our leaving the European Union after 46 years of being conned into becoming a member by the then Prime Minister Edward Heath, on the promise that we would be joining only as a trading partner, it is time to reflect on how we finally achieved our freedom from the EU shackles and to pay appropriate due tribute.

The Star, January 31, Brexit report features a large photograph of MEPs Magid Magid and Shaffaq Mohammed being United in Diversity. They have served seven months in the EU parliament and are both staunchly pro-remain. Prior to and during their time in office they have done nothing to help the Brexit cause. Magid’s notable EU contribution being a maiden speech in which he attacked the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a ‘scum bag’ among a string of derogatory epithets which earned objections from fellow MEPs and a rebuke from the Chair that members are ‘expected to respect each other and speak and behave accordingly’.

Shaffaq’s contribution seems to have been to hand out Henderson’s Relish and other Yorkshire produce to the EU members as a farewell gift. Both MEPs have spoken about our leaving Europe. We are not, we are leaving the EU which is very much different. Contrast their much publicised photographic departure to that of the forgotten man who served for 21 years as an MEP, Nigel Farage. Like him or loathe him, he was instrumental in obtaining the 2016 EU referendum which David Cameron offered to the people in the firm belief that they would vote to remain in the EU.

He was forced into doing this because of the serious inroads that UKIP led by Nigel Farage were making in Tory electoral territory, not to mention Labour as well! The totally unexpected Brexit victory is now historical fact. While New Year honours are bestowed like confetti on so-called ‘stars’ of the entertainment world together with retiring politicians who have done little for their country, NIgel Farage continues to be overlooked by the Establishment and Prime Ministers.

Without the efforts of UKIP led by him and fellow supporters across the nation we would still be waiting for an EU referendum and David Cameron would probably still be Prime Minister. Those responsible for awarding honours should cast aside their prejudice against him and act accordingly by acknowledging his contribution to British politics and the nation even though he was never elected to the UK parliament.