Copyright nytimes
Mr. Farage leads this angry mob, mostly by way of insinuation. He channels its apocalyptic undercurrents while maintaining a careful distance. He doesn’t attend protests or affiliate publicly with any of their organizers. He is quick to condemn acts of violence. But he does not hide his sympathy for the extreme anti-migrant sentiment that underwrites them. He has voiced concerns about “a growing Muslim vote in Britain” and “the safety of women and children.” And he repeatedly warns that, if he isn’t listened to, more violence is bound to come. “Remember, I am the moderate, reasonable, democratic, experienced, grown-up face of the fight back,” he said in July. “If I lose, just you wait.” Mr. Farage’s growing appeal is about more than anger. Like his friend President Trump, whom he draws on for inspiration, Mr. Farage entertains his supporters. Through the pomp and ceremony of his rallies, the half-serious transgressions of his comic routines and a creative embrace of social media, Mr. Farage suggests that politics doesn’t have to be boring, that the public doesn’t have to swallow its frustration. With a conniving grin, and usually a pint of lager in his hand, Mr. Farage issues an invitation. Yes, the political establishment is rotten and the country is going to the dogs. But pull up a chair — and let’s plot some mischief.
