None of this can be said about Mr Brand. Yes, he’s got 9 million followers on Twitter, a zillion Facebook friends and any number of viewers on YouTube. But popularity isn’t quite the same thing as political legitimacy. And it’s certainly not the same thing as accountability. If Mr Farage does or says things that a majority of his electorate find to be hateful or stupid, he gets sacked. If he doesn't convince people, he painfully and publicly fails to get elected. If Mr Brand does or says things most people consider moronic or silly, what consequence does he face?