Yet Nigel Farage and UKIP are still dismissed by David Cameron as a "bunch of fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists". Clearly, this is also the view of the European Commission. Watch Farage's interventions on YouTube. As he warns, presciently as it turns out, of the economic collapse of Greece, his European colleagues sigh, smirk and roll their eyes.
Farage wears their derision as a badge of honour, proclaiming it as if he had been "let out of the lunatic asylum". Yet look who is in charge. As the stunningly eloquent Eurosceptic Dan Hannan proclaims in the same forum: " My masters, are you mad?"
Farage lacks the sophistication and polish of Michael Heseltine, who appeared on the same Daily Politics show but from the comfort of a video link. The disembodied faded matinee idol, at ease in his smart, chintzy drawing room, dismissed the euro crisis. Our future lies in Europe and of course we will join the euro, he said, weary of having to explain the obvious to halfwits. No wonder Mrs Thatcher, as a patriot, a non-appeaser and a believer in democracy, was driven mad by Heseltine.
Farage is an odd character, thick- skinned and over-excitable. He seems too gauche for Brussels, yet he understands it perfectly. This Little Englander stirring up anti-German rhetoric is actually married to a German. His plan for post-Europe is not slash and burn but pragmatic and trade-based. Britain is a great importer, especially from Germany. Will the Germans really refuse to deal with us because we did not sign up for political union?
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