In politics, triumph and tragedy run close together. When Nigel Farage decided to resign from parliament and force a by-election in Clacton he clearly thought he had pulled a masterstroke against the political establishment and mass media that are mostly hostile to him. As things stand, however, none of the three main parties is standing against him. The great victory over his enemies that he was expecting may, barring accidents, be simply over Count Binface. Farage’s adversaries accuse him of creating a distraction from allegations of financial impropriety. He denies any wrongdoing, and one presumes that by forcing a by-election and winning it handsomely he would expect to draw a line under the accusations against him. Sadly, it is not so simple as that. I have known Farage for over 30 ye