Regular readers will be aware that this blog has not been shy in criticising Leave.EU. That said, I have not been as visceral as their abysmal efforts deserve. We had hoped there would be the opportunity to work with Arron Banks but the latest deluge of utter crap from the Leave.EU Twitter account makes that impossible now.
Moreover, Banks is a flake. There have been promises of meetings and possibly employment, but it's just empty promise after empty promise with no follow-through. He's been stringing us along for some time and has shown no sign of putting his money where his mouth is. Neither Richard North or I tolerate such men, and we have no patience for incompetence. Whatever Banks is good at, it isn't this.
We already had our doubts about Banks's fitness to run a campaign, but what precipitated this decision on our part was an exchange with Leave.EU's head of communications, Andy Wigmore.
Wigmore is a weasel. He claims that he listens to our observations and has sought our advice. He has done no such thing, and there is zero evidence he has listened to either of us. In fact, their output has got worse every time we've mentioned just how seriously they are undermining the campaign. Call Wigmore out on his dishonesty and he plays the victim, pretending that we are snubbing him - not the other way around.
He has notionally invited me via Twitter to work with him on two occasions, but when challenged, no serious offer has been put on the table. This makes Wigmore a bullshitter and a liar. I am now so suspicious of that operation that I would not enter any contract with them. I do not trust them.
More than that, if you examine his tweets you will see that as well as being thick as pigshit, the man is actually illiterate. How a man with zero capability, zero strategic acumen and not even a basic grasp of grammar became Leave.EU's head of communications (something he manifestly cannot do) beats the hell out of us. I suppose since Banks is apparently the type who likes an entourage of yes-men who will tolerate his unreliability, we can only conclude that it is his obsequious toadlike manner that affords him his position. That says as much about Banks as it does Wigmore.
This is all somewhat academic now since nether Richard North or I would be able to salvage their campaign for them. They have already cheapened themselves and pushed themselves into the Ukip cul-de-sac. The only way we would consider working for Leave.EU would be if all existing memes and branding were pulled from the web and Wigmore sacked.
But even then, the brand is already tarnished. Toxic even. Wigmore has admitted they are operating without a strategy, thus are soiling the nest for everybody as they pollute the debate with their witless prattle. At this point it would be professionally embarrassing for either of us to be remotely associated with Leave.EU.
Leave.EU is a hopeless outfit, damaging to the cause, and it is run by inept, deceitful and foolish people.
Neither Vote Leave Ltd nor Leave.EU are capable of convincing opinion formers that there is a credible case for Brexit. Their contradictions and strategic ineptitude will undermine all of our best efforts - and if our LeaveHQ.com project (along with our bloggers) cannot break through the noise of these idiots, then get used to the idea that we are staying in the EU.
No comments:
Post a Comment