Irish rock star Bob Geldof was involved in extraordinary scenes on the Thames today, as he confronted the leader of the so called UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage.

Farage was leading a Brexit demonstration, in which a flotilla sailed up the Thames, ostensibly in support of UK fishermen – some of whom believe that the restrictions brought about by EU membership are handicapping the British fishing industry.

However, this perspective was attacked by Geldof, who used a PA to confront Farage on the river. Geldof called the UKIP leader a “fraud”, and insisted that he is “no fisherman’s friend."
"Here are the facts about fishing,” Geldof said. "One, Britain makes more money than any other country in Europe from fishing. Two, Britain has the second largest quota for fish in Europe after Denmark. Three, Britain has the third largest landings. Four, you are no fisherman's friend."

In a barb that carried a telling sting, he pointed out Farage’s own historic lack of interest in the fishing issue.
"You were on the European Parliament Fishing Committee,” he accused, "and you attended one out of 43 meetings."

Farage responded by saying that the confrontation was disgusting and disgraceful. But he did not attempt to correct the facts in what Geldof had said – suggesting that the Irish singer had in fact hit the nail on the head.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Greenpeace, quoted by the BBC, explained that the biggest problem for British fisherman – and women – is not about EU restrictions, but rather the way in which the distribution of fishing rights is concentrated in the hands of a small number of large operators.