Nigel Farage has been drenched in a McDonald’s banana milkshake as he attempted to campaign in Clacton, where he is running for election. Here’s the full story.
2019 Vibes
In a return to the trend last seen in 2019, a protester doused Nigel Farage, the newly crowned leader of Reform UK, in a milkshake as he attempted to campaign in the seat he is running to be a candidate.
Blast From the Past
Just one day after Farage announced he would be running for election in Clacton, Essex, Farage was hit with a blast from the past.
Banana Milkshake
As he left a Wetherspoons pub where he had been speaking to locals, a woman, identified only as Victoria, threw a McDonalds banana milkshake over Farage.
“Did Not Stand” for Her
When asked, Victoria stated that she had not come to see Farage with the sole purpose of milkshaking him but decided to do so after hearing him because he “did not stand” for her.
“Fighting”
Farage had spoken at length at the event and, before being milkshaked, told a crowd of onlookers that he would spend “a considerable amount of my time with you fighting for those who don’t have their voice.”
“Put Clacton on the Map”
He added, “I hope that having a national figure representing this constituency will put Clacton on the map.”
Woman Arrested
Following the milkshaking, Essex police confirmed that a 25-year-old woman had been arrested on suspicion of assault.
Milkshaking
The form of protest, which quickly became known as, what else, milkshaking became an incredibly popular way of protesting against right-wing populists who were campaigning to stand in the EU elections of 2019 that they had campaigned so hard for the UK not to be a part of.
Not Alone
Farage was not the only right-wing candidate to be milkshaked during the heady days of spring 2019.
Four Drenchings
UKIP, one of the precursors to Reform UK, candidate Carl Benjamin, a controversial far-right YouTuber known as Sargon of Akkad, was drenched four times during his campaign that year.
Twice in Two Days
Similarly, the far-right activist, anti-Islam campaigner and convicted criminal Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was doused twice in as many days while making speaking arrangements.
“Pay a Big Price”
Farage was reading from a similar hymn sheet in Clacton as he would have used back in 2019, telling the crowd that the Conservatives needed to “pay a big price” for betraying what he called the “promises of Brexit.”
“Doesn’t Give Two Hoots”
Local MP Giles Watling, who won the last election in Clacton for the Conservatives with a majority of 24,702 votes, warned voters against lending their votes to Farage as a form of protest vote, stating that he “doesn’t give two hoots” about the people in the area.
“All About Nigel”
Watling added, “This is all about Nigel, as ever. I don’t want to see the residents of Clacton-on-Sea taken for granted and sacrificed on the altar of his vanity.”
“A New Labour Government”
Labour’s candidate for Clacton, Jovan Owusu-Nepaul, stated, “The only way to bring about change is by voting the Tories out and electing a new Labour government.”
Worried Conservatives
Despite only just having entered the race, Farage seems to have terrified the Conservatives, who are rapidly losing votes to Reform from the right flank of their party.
No Reform Government
Speaking to Sky News, Home Secretary James Cleverly stated, “A vote for Reform is not going to create a Reform government. Reform is not going to form part of the next government; it is either Rishi Sunak and a Conservative government or Keir Starmer and a Labour government.”
“Opens the Door”
He continued, “A vote for Reform opens the door to a Labour government, and a Labour government will just open the door and wave people through into our country.”
“Farage’s Self-Promotion”
Finally, he added, “Reform has always been a vehicle for Nigel Farage’s self-promotion. I think Richard Tice is now discovering that rather painfully.”
Notably Absent
Richard Tice, the former leader of Reform UK, has been notably absent since Farage announced his campaign.
Quietly Deposed
It is widely assumed that having been quietly deposed over the weekend, the former leader, who has invested heavily into Reform UK, is sitting back to allow Farage to take on some of the heavy lifting.
Hilarious Political Protest
Though milkshaking is an undoubtedly hilarious form of legitimate political protest, it remains to be seen if the threat of looking foolish on camera will convince Farage to stop speaking out for what he fervently believes in. Looking back to 2019, it has never stopped him before
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Martin Suker.