Gone was his customary filthy grin. The ego had relented ...on what could be the key moment of 2019 election

PHEW. For a while there, Nigel Farage appeared to have developed a Captain Ahab complex. Ahab, readers of Moby-Dick will know, was the revenge-driven sea dog who leads his crew to a watery grave in order to satisfy his murderous obsession with a whale.

Farage’s relentless pursuit of a No Deal Brexit, which led him to put up 600 candidates at the election in order to frustrate the Conservatives, has in recent weeks been equally barmy.

His appearance last Friday in South Wales, still in full ‘no-surrender’ mode as he continued demanding the Prime Minister bin his Brexit deal or face electoral destruction, was a sorry sight.

Deluded. Desperate. Like watching a spent prizefighter willing to sacrifice his last remaining brain cells just to prove a point. Yesterday, after a weekend of pressure from his own people – not to mention a campaign by this newspaper – he agreed to stand down candidates in Tory-held seats. The ego relented. Sanity had finally prevailed. Farage decided to announce this potential game-changer in Hartlepool’s Grand Hotel, an old-fashioned sort of haunt decked out in frilly curtains and chandeliers. Reminded me of the hotel where Jack Nicholson loses his marbles in The Shining.

Farage entered the ballroom on the stroke of midday. ‘Heeeere’s Nigel!’

Just from his walk you knew something was afoot. Usually, Farage bounds over to the lectern with the fizzy exuberance of a Butlin’s Red Coat.

Yesterday, his gait had grown leaden, almost devoid of energy. Gone too was the customary filthy grin which creeps up one of his face. There was a hollowness about him. Nerves, possibly.

Farage began by beating up on the Prime Minister’s deal. He was ‘very unhappy’ when he read it as he didn’t believe it delivered Brexit. There was oily praise once again for EU negotiator Michel Barnier. Farage is enjoying a bit of a lovein with Monsieur Barnier a ce moment. Probably because it irritates Boris.

Then came the crucial ‘but’. While Farage didn’t agree fielding 600 candidates would let in Jeremy Corbyn, he acceded it would lead to a bunch of Lib Dem gains, making a hung parliament the most likely outcome. A second referendum would be inevitable. The word ‘difficult’ was then banficult

died around a lot. ‘it’s been very, very difficult,’ said Farage. ‘it’s been a difficult decision.’

the tectonic plates were shifting. A screen in front of me showing the latest election betting odds was suddenly going berserk. Boris, it turned out, had put a helpful ladder out on sunday night, down which Farage was able to climb.

the pM had made a social media video in which he committed to leaving the eU by the end of 2020 and signing up to a ‘Canada-plus’ style trade agreement. Farage said this was something with which he could get on board. As a result, he would be standing down Brexit party candidates in Government-held seats. ‘i have got no great love for the Conservative party at all,’ he said giving a defensive flash of the palms.

‘But i can see right now that by giving Boris half a chance and stopping the fanatics in the Liberal Democrats, i think our action, our announcement today, prevents a second referendum from happening.’

the people of Hartlepool were understanding. Of course they were, they endured peter Mandelson as their Mp for 12 years, after all. As the Brexit party leader walked off, heavy-footed again, a supporter in a Brexit party t-shirt offered him a meaty shake of the paw. ‘it’s been very, very difficult,’ he repeated in the man’s ear sorrowfully.

it is quite possible that after 25 years campaigning for the UK to leave the european Union, we are now entering the final few weeks of Nigel Farage’s political career. Yesterday, in what could emerge as the key moment of this election, he may have just made his most enduring contribution.