Nigel Farage has a fair claim to being the country’s most influential politician of the last decade. The pressure his party exerted on the Tories forced David Cameron into a referendum which he never wanted but now looks set to change the course of the UK’s economic, political, social and diplomatic history. Not bad for someone who never even managed to get elected to parliament. But his resignation as leader won’t make it any easier for whoever takes over as PM to persuade EU member states that we should retain full access to their market without granting their citizens access to ours. They don’t owe us a living, so why allow us to free ride? Meanwhile, back at home, does anyone seriously think Farage will happily fade into obscurity? He’s a populist attention-seeker who’ll doubtless carry on claiming we can have our cake and eat it. And anyway, his successor will be just as determined to hold the government’s feet to the fire on migration.

Originally published at http://www.cityam.com/244736/nigel-farage-off-scene-easier-reach-compromise-eu-free