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| The unholy power of that Farage-Trump buddy photo The unholy power of that Farage-Trump buddy photo | |
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| Traditionally, a British ambassador needs royal documents of accreditation from the Court of St James’s in order to represent Her Majesty abroad. There’s none of that fuss for Nigel Farage: he has appointed himself ambassador to the United States – as a stepping stone to some higher office, such as Foreign Secretary Farage, Prime Minister Farage or perhaps, if The Donald should suggest it in a 3am tweet, King Nigel. Not on the basis of such fussy old paraphernalia as a great seal, a royal charter or (perish the thought) elected office of any kind, but simply by flashing a photograph at us. | Traditionally, a British ambassador needs royal documents of accreditation from the Court of St James’s in order to represent Her Majesty abroad. There’s none of that fuss for Nigel Farage: he has appointed himself ambassador to the United States – as a stepping stone to some higher office, such as Foreign Secretary Farage, Prime Minister Farage or perhaps, if The Donald should suggest it in a 3am tweet, King Nigel. Not on the basis of such fussy old paraphernalia as a great seal, a royal charter or (perish the thought) elected office of any kind, but simply by flashing a photograph at us. |
| In the age of the selfie and the celebrity presidency, Farage has invented a new source of political authority. It dazzles and blinds, more than 10 days after it was taken, as it shines its power-drunk bully-light into every corner of the news. It is the picture that defines 2016, drooled one befuddled commentator. | In the age of the selfie and the celebrity presidency, Farage has invented a new source of political authority. It dazzles and blinds, more than 10 days after it was taken, as it shines its power-drunk bully-light into every corner of the news. It is the picture that defines 2016, drooled one befuddled commentator. |
| At this rate, it will define 2017 too, for the photograph that stirred the confusions of a stupefied Britain on the weekend after America’s psychotic meltdown of an election shows no sign of slipping away into memory. Usually photographs record history; this one is making it, for Farage is successfully using it as a badge and instrument of power, like a barbarian chief returning to his Thanet village with a tablet from the Roman emperor that appoints him ruler of the Britons. | At this rate, it will define 2017 too, for the photograph that stirred the confusions of a stupefied Britain on the weekend after America’s psychotic meltdown of an election shows no sign of slipping away into memory. Usually photographs record history; this one is making it, for Farage is successfully using it as a badge and instrument of power, like a barbarian chief returning to his Thanet village with a tablet from the Roman emperor that appoints him ruler of the Britons. |
| The sheer freakishness of the image enhances its grip on us, for we can’t stop staring at this monstrously matey exchange of bonhomie in a lift lined with gold. Trump’s almost beatific post-electoral grin is matched by The Nigel’s starstruck guffaw. They’re high rollers headed for the penthouse, where the casino has provided them with entertainment for the night – or whatever other cinematic image comes to mind. | The sheer freakishness of the image enhances its grip on us, for we can’t stop staring at this monstrously matey exchange of bonhomie in a lift lined with gold. Trump’s almost beatific post-electoral grin is matched by The Nigel’s starstruck guffaw. They’re high rollers headed for the penthouse, where the casino has provided them with entertainment for the night – or whatever other cinematic image comes to mind. |
| To me, this is somewhere between a Martin Scorsese film and a scene from the heyday of the Third Reich. Hermann Goring would have loved that gold elevator. But if this year has taught us anything, it is that you can’t assume your revulsion is universally shared. Maybe to many this is a gleeful, and even joyous, picture of two buddies having a well-earned celebration. | To me, this is somewhere between a Martin Scorsese film and a scene from the heyday of the Third Reich. Hermann Goring would have loved that gold elevator. But if this year has taught us anything, it is that you can’t assume your revulsion is universally shared. Maybe to many this is a gleeful, and even joyous, picture of two buddies having a well-earned celebration. |
| Love it or loathe it, Britain can’t stop looking at it. News sites whipped it out again this week like Farage’s personal Ultra Gold American Express Card (bonuses include lording it over HM government) after the president-elect attempted to appoint him by tweet as our man in Washington. | Love it or loathe it, Britain can’t stop looking at it. News sites whipped it out again this week like Farage’s personal Ultra Gold American Express Card (bonuses include lording it over HM government) after the president-elect attempted to appoint him by tweet as our man in Washington. |
| In dwelling on this potent picture, this virile vision, we are rushing after pied piper Farage, dancing gladly to his tune. For Mr Brexit loves this picture – and he understands it too. The gold is hilarious. It makes everyone look. What really matters, however, is the intimacy it parades: the proof that he and America’s scarily unpredictable new president are not just allies but real and close friends. This is what makes the picture so much more than just a nice souvenir of a visit to Trump Tower. It has become Farage’s Trump card, an actual instrument of political power that he has played with frightening brilliance. | In dwelling on this potent picture, this virile vision, we are rushing after pied piper Farage, dancing gladly to his tune. For Mr Brexit loves this picture – and he understands it too. The gold is hilarious. It makes everyone look. What really matters, however, is the intimacy it parades: the proof that he and America’s scarily unpredictable new president are not just allies but real and close friends. This is what makes the picture so much more than just a nice souvenir of a visit to Trump Tower. It has become Farage’s Trump card, an actual instrument of political power that he has played with frightening brilliance. |
| When will we wake up to the fact that Nigel Farage is a political genius? He has used this photograph like a Machiavel of the digital age to ruthlessly undermine Britain’s prime minister and Cabinet just a few months after the entire government was turned upside down by the Brexit vote he claims credit for. What’s his game? Where does it lead? | When will we wake up to the fact that Nigel Farage is a political genius? He has used this photograph like a Machiavel of the digital age to ruthlessly undermine Britain’s prime minister and Cabinet just a few months after the entire government was turned upside down by the Brexit vote he claims credit for. What’s his game? Where does it lead? |
| The truly sinister thing about this photograph that is empowering Nigel Farage so much is that he personally produced it. He went to New York, got into Trump’s elevator, made sure they posed for a picture together – and released it on his Twitter account. It first appeared in a tweet by Farage at 3.38pm on 12 November in which he smugly goaded Britain’s elected politicians with his proximity to the most powerful man on Earth. | The truly sinister thing about this photograph that is empowering Nigel Farage so much is that he personally produced it. He went to New York, got into Trump’s elevator, made sure they posed for a picture together – and released it on his Twitter account. It first appeared in a tweet by Farage at 3.38pm on 12 November in which he smugly goaded Britain’s elected politicians with his proximity to the most powerful man on Earth. |
| Farage is understandably delighted with the picture’s progress. Writing a fuming attack this week on the May government’s supposed folly in refusing to obey an order from Trump Tower – in the far-right website Breitbart, naturally – he boasts about it: “I have said since the now famous photograph with Donald Trump ten days ago that I would do anything to help our national interest and to help cement ties ...” | Farage is understandably delighted with the picture’s progress. Writing a fuming attack this week on the May government’s supposed folly in refusing to obey an order from Trump Tower – in the far-right website Breitbart, naturally – he boasts about it: “I have said since the now famous photograph with Donald Trump ten days ago that I would do anything to help our national interest and to help cement ties ...” |
| Farage was first to release the photograph, and he’s still harping on it as incontrovertible evidence that he is the president-elect’s good friend while conventional politicians who have been shy of acclaiming a man who spewed out hatred and bigotry in his campaign look wrongfooted: look, the old parliamentary politics has failed – it’s time for the winners in the great gold elevator to have a go. | Farage was first to release the photograph, and he’s still harping on it as incontrovertible evidence that he is the president-elect’s good friend while conventional politicians who have been shy of acclaiming a man who spewed out hatred and bigotry in his campaign look wrongfooted: look, the old parliamentary politics has failed – it’s time for the winners in the great gold elevator to have a go. |
| For Farage, this picture is gold. But what does it mean when the normal rules of power can be bypassed with a photograph of two guys in a lift? Is there anything inherently wrong with grounding a claim to political importance in a photograph of yourself next to Donald Trump? | For Farage, this picture is gold. But what does it mean when the normal rules of power can be bypassed with a photograph of two guys in a lift? Is there anything inherently wrong with grounding a claim to political importance in a photograph of yourself next to Donald Trump? |
| The German social theorist Max Weber distinguished between “rational-legal” authority, which corresponds to Theresa May’s government in this extraordinary situation; “traditional” authority, which is embodied in Britain both by the monarchy and the venerable traditions of our parliamentary democracy; and the third kind, the wild card: the dangerous, unpredictable force that is “charismatic” authority. | The German social theorist Max Weber distinguished between “rational-legal” authority, which corresponds to Theresa May’s government in this extraordinary situation; “traditional” authority, which is embodied in Britain both by the monarchy and the venerable traditions of our parliamentary democracy; and the third kind, the wild card: the dangerous, unpredictable force that is “charismatic” authority. |
| Nigel Farage has already done a lot to destabilise rational-legal and traditional authority in Britain with the “revolution” he sees in Brexit. But it’s not enough. Now he is calling politics a “cesspit” and catastophically undermining what is supposed to be the Brexit government. What will be good enough? When will he stop? | Nigel Farage has already done a lot to destabilise rational-legal and traditional authority in Britain with the “revolution” he sees in Brexit. But it’s not enough. Now he is calling politics a “cesspit” and catastophically undermining what is supposed to be the Brexit government. What will be good enough? When will he stop? |
| Charismatic authority revels in the glamour and irrationality of visual images, just as it revels in emotion, stridency, fear and loathing. In a world cut free from conventional rules, the charismatic leader uses bizarre, unprecedented symbols of power to undermine the dullards who cling to outworn expectations. Farage waves his picture about from his balcony as he rants about patriotism and the “negative” politicians who don’t yet get it: there is a new dawn. | Charismatic authority revels in the glamour and irrationality of visual images, just as it revels in emotion, stridency, fear and loathing. In a world cut free from conventional rules, the charismatic leader uses bizarre, unprecedented symbols of power to undermine the dullards who cling to outworn expectations. Farage waves his picture about from his balcony as he rants about patriotism and the “negative” politicians who don’t yet get it: there is a new dawn. |
| That “famous” photograph. Two men in a golden elevator. A lot of people are scared of Donald Trump, yet looking at the way he has used this photograph to humiliate British democracy, I am almost more scared of his laughing friend. | That “famous” photograph. Two men in a golden elevator. A lot of people are scared of Donald Trump, yet looking at the way he has used this photograph to humiliate British democracy, I am almost more scared of his laughing friend. |