Well, go figure! Nigel Farage, creator and leader of the far-right anti-immigration UK Independence Party and instigator and unofficial commander-in-chief of the Leave campaign to take Britain out of Europe, has resigned his position as leader of UKIP.
What Farage says is that, in the aftermath of Britain's recent vote to leave the EU, he feels like he has fulfilled his political ambitions, and that it is now time for him to take a rest. He has resigned a couple of times before, but this time he says he is serious.
What it looks like to an outsider, though, is yet another major Brexit campaigner publicly distancing himself from the shambles that remains of Britain's political classes, and being unwilling to take responsibility for the political and economic chaos leaving the EU has caused. Pro-Europe Prime Minister David Cameron resigned as Conservative leader after the vote (understandably), but then high-profile Brexiter and all-round odd-ball Boris Johnson shocked everyone by saying he was not interested in applying for the position. The Labour Party leadership is in equal (or worse) disarray after two thirds of the shadow cabinet stepped down at the weekend, and more than three-quarters of Labour MPs voted a show of no confidence in leader Jeremy Corbyn, who nevertheless insists that he going nowhere.
So, a political shambles across the board at a time when a steady hand at the tiller is needed more than ever before.
UPDATE
As one candidate after another pulled out of the race for the Conservative leadership - and therefore Prime Ministership of the country - Theresa May eventually found herself, quite unexpectedly I'm sure, in splendid isolation as the only candidate standing. Ms. May, a Remain supporter although not an outspoken one, assumed the office on July 13th, and promptly sacked vehemently pro-Brexit Justice Minister Michael Gove and Chancellor (and Cameron sidekick) George Osborne.
She did, however, promote Boris Johnson to Foreign Secretary, a rather unfortunate choice, given that so many in Europe hate the man, as ministers from France and Turkey have gone out of their way to make clear in recent days (see here for more on just how badly Johnson is regarded abroad). So, Boris' single-minded pursuit of power continues, even if he balked at taking on the responsibilities of Prime Minister.
David Cameron returns to the back-benches, doubtless heaving a huge sigh of relief, where he can sit and ponder how he may have single-handedly brought the country to its knees by calling a completely unnecessary referendum.
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