If Nigel has learned from the countless mistakes of the past then he is in the position of becoming the best chance in History to roundly shatter the appalling two party system which 'we enjoy'.
I have been privileged to have been in a position for many years to know his strengths and weaknesses far better than the vast majority of former Ukip members - and certainly more so than the leftist media.
Primarily, he must realise that 'friends' and 'boozy mates' are not the same thing. (Rumours abound of a new healthy regime.)
He must choose new friends with greater care. There is some evidence of greater wisdom in this.
He must take sound advice and not become almost paranoid when one of his ideas is challenged. Constructive criticism is not enmity! I fear that this will be his hardest challenge - it goes against his very nature.
He has handled the media superbly in the past - about 90% of the time. It is the 10% which has me worried.
Nonetheless, there has not been any major slip up in the rapid development of the BP. Splendid!
I once recall talking to a future MEP on the day of the General Election when Nigel was almost killed in a small plane crash. We heard the news as we travelled south to campaign for him in Buckingham as he tried to oust the wretched John Bercow.
I noted to the politico, that with a proper voting system, Ukip could take 60+ Westminster seats. I was informed that Ukip barely had 20 people in its ranks of sufficient quality to be entrusted with that degree of responsibility if they were to be a positive force.
Certainly, if we consider just how many duff MEPs Ukip had over the years - it was an incredibly strong point.
The BP must get better people in place. I suspect that there are a great many Tories who might jump ship. Ann Widdecombe has been a coup - but we - did I just say 'we'? (Smiles to self!) -
There are literally no Lib Dems that the BP could want but there are number of Laboristas who need to be enticed away from Jeremy. Kate Hoey would clearly be the cream of that crop.
True - it is harder to glean decent democrats from the current PLP - but it would help.
I note that the BP now has almost twice the number of members than did Ukip at its height.
If you are/will be a Ukip voter - I urge you to switch your support. Ukip has become a most distasteful busted flush.
If half to three quarters of Ukip voters were to switch allegiances in a Westminster election - it could swing scores of extra seats out of the grasp of the LibLabCons.
The BP were right not to stand in the Council Elections. It would have been impossible to vet so many candidates properly - that is a lesser issue with there only being a few dozen to vet for the EU elections.
They must be vetting would-be MPs non-stop right from the get-go. Too many Ukip candidates gave the appalling media the chance to destroy them. That must not be permitted to happen again.
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