Tory MP and member of the hardline European Research Group (ERG), Andrew Bridgen has written to Boris Johnson recommending a knighthood for Nigel Farage to reward him for his help in delivering Brexit – and the election for the Conservative party.
During the election campaign, the Brexit Party leader, always quick to accuse people of treachery and betrayal, was himself accused of selling out his party by Brexit Party candidates that he stood aside in Conservative-held constituencies.
Nigel Farage on November 11 claimed that the Tory party had offered him a peerage in return for withdrawing candidates – a claim the Conservative Party repeatedly denied.
Having vowed to run Brexit Party candidates in every seat in the country, Farage withdrew 317 from standing in the election – which helped the Tories storm to an 80-seat majority in the House of Commons against a split remain parties vote which added together polled more votes, but were split between Labour, SNP, Plaid Cymru, Lib-Dem and Green.
The Brexit Party leader had insisted he could not be bought and would refuse any political honour.
“Ridiculous – the thought they can buy me, a high-paid job. But I’m not interested, I don’t want to know,” vowed Farage who withdrew hundreds of Brexit Party candidates three days after he he said he was offered the honour by the Conservative Party.
Yet in his open letter to the Prime Minister, Conservative hardline Eurosceptic Andrew Bridgend made the case for rewarding Farage with a knighthood – a prospect many have criticised as rewarding a person who has dome more than perhaps anyone to inflame division and racism in the country.
“There can be no doubt this made a clear difference to the campaign and enabled the party to achieve the majority that it did.”
The Tory MP wrote:
“Dear Prime Minister, as you rightly said in your post-election speech, the country now needs to go through a healing process and I believe we should honour those on both sides of the referendum debate.
“I am therefore writing to recommend Nigel Farage with a knighthood to reward the work he has undertaken for many years to advance the case for the UK leaving the European Union.”
Bridgend also wrote that Tory grandee Kenneth Clarke, who has been fiercely critical of the direction his party had gone under Boris Johnson, should received a peerage or knighthood “to recognise his many years of service to the party and the country.”
And he added a recommendation that Arron Banks, the financier who has backed the Tory party, the Leave campaign and Brexit Party should be allowed back in the Tory fold for persuading the Brexit Party to stand aside for the Conservative Party in the election despite their promises.
Bridgend wrote: “I would also like to request that the Conservative Party now admit Arron Banks into the party as he played a key role in the Brexit Party standing down candidates in the 717 Conservative held seats.
“There can be no doubt this made a clear difference to the campaign and enabled the party to achieve the majority that it did.”
Nicky Morgan, who stood down as an MP at the election, will keep her Cabinet post as Culture Secretary in the House of Lords – despite MPs’ complaints that will make it far harder to scrutinise her actions.
Zac Goldsmith, who lost his seat in Richmond Park, keeps his position as Minister of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and International Development.
And there was anger after Andrew Bridgend appeared on Good Morning Britain to make the case for a knighthood for Nigel Farage, insisting, ”the new year’s honest list is way of rewarding both of those on both sides of the argument to say that we’ve made a decision and the country now needs to reunite and move forward.”
“Legacy of whipping up racism and xenophobia as a means of achieving Brexit”
Also appearing on the ITV show, lawyer Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu who asked whether it was right to “reward Nigel Farage for his legacy of stirring division?
“His legacy of inciting hatred of migrants for political gain? His legacy of whipping up racism and xenophobia as a means of achieving Brexit ?
“His legacy for using Nazi-style propaganda? – Which is disgusting.
“To do so would not only be ill-advised, it would be irresponsible, especially in the state that we have today in the United Kingdom, with how divided it is now.”
She then added: ”Can I ask, why are we listening to a word that Andrew Bridgen has to say? This is the same man who, just last month, was defending Jacob Rees-Mogg’s vile comments against Grenfell victims.
“Clearly you haven’t learnt anything, Mr Bridgen. Because if you did you would know that putting forward a divisive character like Nigel Farage is just wrong.”
The Conservative MP insisted that the the New Years Honours list should heal the country’s divide and that Farage’s legacy was Brexit.
“You’re not talking about healing any divide,” scoffed Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, explaining how because of people like him and Boris Johnson, people are experiencing racist abuse all over the UK.
“I would say to you, Mr Bridgen – shame on you! Not only did you defend those incredibly vile comments against Grenfell victims, now you sit here using Nigel Farage as somebody who can heal the bridge? Absolutely not! He can’t do that – you’re rewarding your kind.
“You’re rewarding people that think like you, not people who have achieved something. He hasn’t achieved anything as a politician.”
“Well, I hope you feel better after that rant,” replied the Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire.
“Really?” she added. And many on social media appeared to agree with her.