Yesterday, I blogged about reading the 2015 book by Owen Bennett, 'Following Farage', a light hearted but nevertheless insightful account of Mr Farage's first political vehicle, UKIP.
The thing that has continually struck me whilst reading the book is that I remember almost all of the incidents recounted, and the people involved (I've worked in politics for a long time), but with the exception of Mr Farage and a financial backer, Arron Banks, none are now involved with the upper echelons of Reform UK.
Whilst donors such as Stuart Wheeler have sadly died others have disappeared, or have been got rid of in a political sense.
Douglas Carswell, Annabelle Fuller, Paul Nuttall, Suzanne Evans, Alan Sked, Winston McKenzie, Godfrey Bloom and Janice Atkinson. All have left the limelight.
One theory the keeps recurring is that Mr Farage cannot cope with big personalities, or as Godfrey Bloom describes them in his own inimitable way 'alpha males'.
The late Stuart Wheeler says of Ms Atkinson's dispatch from the party in an expenses scandal "That killed her leadership chances and I think he (Farage) did it quite deliberately. He either panicked, which would be, with his track record, quite possible, or he deliberately destroyed her carrer."
It is an allegation, or a common thread, that has followed Mr Farage through to the present day. It is an observation levelled by Ben Habib and Rupert Lowe amongst others.
Mr Farage has developed a clear and admirable focus on securing highest office, and his party are showing a remarkable amount of discipline. If Reform UK attains it with Mr Farage as Prime Minister, the real question will be how he manages 'alpha males and females' who have secured their own electoral mandates and occupy offices of state?
Based on past behaviour he may not be able to do so.
Can Nigel Farage cope with alpha males?
Yesterday, I blogged about reading the 2015 book by Owen Bennett, 'Following Farage', a light hearted but nevertheless insightful account of Mr Farage's first political vehicle, UKIP.
The thing that has continually struck me whilst reading the book is that I remember almost all of the incidents recounted, and the people involved (I've worked in politics for a long time), but with the exception of Mr Farage and a financial backer, Arron Banks, none are now involved with the upper echelons of Reform UK.
Whilst donors such as Stuart Wheeler have sadly died others have disappeared, or have been got rid of in a political sense.
Douglas Carswell, Annabelle Fuller, Paul Nuttall, Suzanne Evans, Alan Sked, Winston McKenzie, Godfrey Bloom and Janice Atkinson. All have left the limelight.
One theory the keeps recurring is that Mr Farage cannot cope with big personalities, or as Godfrey Bloom describes them in his own inimitable way 'alpha males'.
The late Stuart Wheeler says of Ms Atkinson's dispatch from the party in an expenses scandal "That killed her leadership chances and I think he (Farage) did it quite deliberately. He either panicked, which would be, with his track record, quite possible, or he deliberately destroyed her carrer."
It is an allegation, or a common thread, that has followed Mr Farage through to the present day. It is an observation levelled by Ben Habib and Rupert Lowe amongst others.
Mr Farage has developed a clear and admirable focus on securing highest office, and his party are showing a remarkable amount of discipline. If Reform UK attains it with Mr Farage as Prime Minister, the real question will be how he manages 'alpha males and females' who have secured their own electoral mandates and occupy offices of state?
Based on past behaviour he may not be able to do so.