It was fashionable at the turn of the millennium to decry how politicians had all become the same and attack the cosy, centre-ground consensus. When William Hague ran his 2001 election campaign on a Eurosceptic “Save the Pound” campaign, he became a figure of fun. Britain was a multicultural, youthful European country unshackled from the moral baggage of Empire. By 2012 during the Olympics, London could credibly claim to be the centre of the new globalised world with a population like no other on earth. A metropolis in a nation comfortable with itself and its diverse population. A country that could provide medicine for all through the NHS and also have an economy the envy of its European neighbours.

Then Ukip destroyed your future.

In 2006, David Cameron dismissed them as “fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists”. A decade later they contributed to the shifting of the political envelope so far that Cameron had to resign and Britain was about to commit the national act of harikiri by voting to leave the EU.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 18 September 2020 A model presents a creation during the Bora Aksu catwalk show at London Fashion Week 2020 Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2020 World kickboxing champion Carl Thomas during his attempt to run a marathon while pulling a plane at Elvington Airfield near York. The attempt is raising funds for Ollie's Army Battling Against Battens, an organisation campaigning to raise GBP 250,000 to fund a clinical trial aimed at saving the sight of children with CNL2 Batten Disease PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2020 Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner speaking during Prime Minister's Questions UK Parliament/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 September 2020 People enjoying the autumn sunshine as they punt along the River Cam in Cambridge PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2020 Early morning light bathes the skyscrapers of the City of London, at the start of a week in which the UK is expected to bask in temperatures of more than 30 degrees PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2020 England celebrate after they dismissed Australia's Alex Carey to win the second ODI match of the series at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2020 Protesters outside BBC Broadcasting House in central London, as marches and rallies form across the country calling for a 15% pay rise for NHS workers and an increase in NHS funding PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2020 An empty migrant dinghy floats off the beach at St Margaret's Bay after the occupants landed from France in Dover Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2020 A view of small boats thought to be used in migrant crossings across the Channel at a storage facility in Dover, Kent PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2020 EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier, left, arriving from the Eurostar with EU Ambassador to the UK, Portuguese diplomat Joao Vale de Almeida at St Pancras International railway station, London, for the latest round of the negotiations on a free trade deal between the EU and the UK PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2020 Dawn over Coquet Island, a small island off Amble on the Northumberland coast PA UK news in pictures 7 September 2020 A hovercraft arrives to Southsea, Hampshire from the Isle of Wight PA UK news in pictures 6 September 2020 Forensics officers near the scene of multiple reported stabbings in Birmingham Reuters UK news in pictures 5 September 2020 Anti-migrant protesters demonstrate in Dover against immigration and the journeys made by refugees crossing the Channel to Kent PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2020 Activists take part in a demonstration against the HS2 hi-speed rail line outside the Department of Transport AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 3 September 2020 Peter Baker, who plays Trigger in the musical version of Only Fools and Horses, sweeps the stage of the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London, after observing a 15 minute silence to show solidarity with those in the theatre industry that have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2020 Kadie Lane, right, 11, and Brooke Howourth, 11, hug on their walk to Marden Bridge Middle School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, for their first day of term, as schools in England reopen to pupils following the coronavirus lockdown PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2020 Extinction Rebellion protesters sitting outside The Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London PA UK news in pictures 31 August Surfers at Long Sands Beach, Tynemouth PA UK news in pictures 30 August Black Lives Matter protesters march through Notting Hill in London in the first Million People March EPA UK news in pictures 29 August A protester reacts as she demonstrates against the lockdown and use of face masks, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, outside Downing Street in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 August Caribbean soca dancers display their costumes as they promote the first ever digital Notting Hill Carnival, following the cancellation of the normal Carnival festivities due to the continued spread of the coronavirus disease, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 August Father and son team Chris and Sam Milford from historic building conservation specialists WallWalkers begin restoration work on the spire of Norwich Cathedral, which stands at over 312ft high. The first known spire was completed in 1297 PA UK news in pictures 26 August Giant waves at Seaham in County Durham, as the bad weather continues PA UK news in pictures 25 August An assistant at the Wallace Monument cleans the case which houses the William Wallace sword in the Hall of Arms room at the monument near Stirling as they prepare to re-open PA UK news in pictures 24 August Restored World War Two landing craft LCT 7074 is transported from from the Naval Base in Portsmouth to its final resting place at the D-Day Story at Southsea PA UK news in pictures 23 August Jenny Nguyen and Tony Cao, from Vietnam, pose for wedding photos on Tower Bridge in London, as it remains closed to vehicles after it was stuck open on Saturday due to a "mechanical fault". The landmark's Twitter account confirmed only pedestrians and cyclists could use it on Sunday morning PA UK news in pictures 22 August England's Zak Crawley hit 267, joining the exclusive Double Hundred club, on day two of the Third Test match against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton PA UK news in pictures 21 August Harri Teale gathers lavender during the annual harvest on the Wolds Way Lavender farm near Malton in North Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 20 August Parents and a student react after checking GCSE results at Ark Academy in London Reuters UK news in pictures 19 August Tate Modern workers hold a strike outside the gallery in London, to protest the institution's announcement that it would cut more than 300 jobs from its commercial arm, Tate Enterprises PA UK news in pictures 18 August Two rescued brown bear cubs, Mish (left) and Lucy, cool off in a pool after arriving at their new home with the wildlife conservation charity Wildwood Trust in Herne Bay, Kent. The orphaned pair, who have been living in a temporary home in Belgium since they were found abandoned and alone in a snowdrift in the Albanian mountains, will be acclimatised to their new life in the country before moving to a permanent home PA UK news in pictures 17 August A level students celebrate outside the Department for Education in London after it was confirmed that candidates in England will be given grades estimated by their teachers, rather than by an algorithm. The government U-turn comes just days after Education Secretary Gavin Williamson vowed there would be "no U-turn, no change. PA UK news in pictures 16 August Wasp players take a knee as Northampton Saints stand prior to kick-off in their Premiership match at Franklin's Gardens PA UK news in pictures 15 August Piper Colour Sergeant Lil Bahadur Gurung attends the VJ Day National Remembrance event, held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 14 August People including students hold placards on Whitehall outside Downing Street as they protest against the downgrading of A-level results. The government faced criticism after education officials downgraded more than a third of pupils' final grades in a system devised after the coronavirus pandemic led to cancelled exams yes AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 13 August Benita Stipp (centre) and Mimi Ferguson (left) react as students at Norwich School receive their A-Level results PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2020 A train derailment near Stonehaven has left three people dead. Driver Brett McCullough, conductor Donald Dinnie, and a passenger were killed when the 6.38am Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street service crashed amid heavy rain and flooding BBC UK news in pictures 11 August 2020 A woman hydrates in the sun after open water swimming at the West Reservoir Centre in north London Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 10 August 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes part in an archery session as he visits Premier Education Summer Camp at Sacred Heart of Mary Girls' in Upminster Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2020 People cycle through Cambridge as the heatwave continues in Britain EPA UK news in pictures 8 August 2020 Healthcare workers take part in a protest in London over pay conditions in the NHS Getty UK news in pictures 7 August 2020 Emergency services make their way along the seafront on Bournemouth beach in Dorset on one of the hottest days of the year PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2020 Alison Murphy poses for a picture by husband Peter as she walks through a field of sunflowers in Altrincham, Cheshire PA UK news in pictures 5 August 2020 Pakistan's Abid Ali being bowled by England's Jofra Archer during day one of the First Test match at the Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester PA UK news in pictures 4 August 2020 The 'Timbuktu tumblers' from Kenya perform their balancing act on the Southsea waterfront as Zippos Circus reopens in Portsmouth Rex UK news in pictures 3 August 2020 Pelicans interact with a visitor in St James's Park in London PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2020 Lewis Hamilton drives with a puncture towards the finish line to win the Formula One British Grand Prix at Silverstone POOL/AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 1 August 2020 Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates with the trophy and teammates after winning the FA Cup, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease Pool via Reuters UK news in pictures 31 July 2020 People enjoy the sunny weather at a Bournemouth Beach Reuters

One of Ukip’s most effective tactics has been to exploit public concerns over immigration. The day Jo Cox died I was in Smith Square with a group of campaigners out to watch Ukip’s referendum press launch. We guessed Farage would do something on the false claim that the UK sent £350m to Brussels. I didn’t think they’d echo nationalist propaganda with their vile “Breaking Point” poster which took aim at beleaguered Syrian refugees fleeing conflict. We were going to take a van with the simple message “Hope Over Hate” on it to troll Farage. It’s one of my big regrets that we couldn’t have foreseen how low he would sink.

No matter how far the envelope shifts, they push further like a junkie wanting a stronger fix of the bad stuff. Britain is now a less tolerant place with a spike in race crimes. Yet, Ukip leader Paul Nuttall discussed how radical Islam is a "cancer" within many Muslim communities and Farage whips up hate with talk on US TV about a “fifth element” within migrant communities.

This will have a significant economic impact – potentially as large as the 2008 global recession – but just for the UK. Public polling on immigration is now so sceptical of the benefits that foreign workers bring to the NHS, the public sector and wider economy that the Prime Minister has surrendered to this protectionist interest and will not stand up for free movement of European workers. As a direct result, the trade deal (if any) we get from the EU will be significantly worse.

Our filmmakers, car plants, tech start-ups and insurance industry will no longer enjoy privileged access to the world’s biggest economic block. All because Ukip poisoned the debate on immigration.

Ukip: Nuttall and Carswell at odds over MP's resignation

Ukip’s “Six key tests to prove Brexit means Exit” would take Britain back to the dark days of economic chaos in the early 1970s. What’s terrifying is that leading Conservatives in government publicly speak up for some of Ukip’s economically illiterate positions.

Take point five: “The Money Test”. Ukip thinks the UK should pay not a penny to settle its final bill to the EU for boring things like nuclear power safety and the pensions bill of British civil servants in Brussels. What signal does this send to banks across the world who are currently funding our huge budget deficit? What faith would this give to future trade partners that the UK is even worth negotiating with?

Ukip’s confused legal test wants the UK to refuse to abide by any European law. The EU simply can’t consider such a demand and give banks or car makers based here full access to Europe’s market. Why should France let British banks sell products in France, if they refuse to comply with any laws that protect French consumers? Ukip’s demand simply cannot be met unless the UK ends up with a similar trade agreement to Russia: that is no special agreement whatsoever.

Ukip wants to expand our possession of the North Sea to give our fishermen more cod (with presumably the Royal Navy to patrol it). While the decline of the cod industry is a shame, I’m not convinced sacrificing our financial sector for it is a worthwhile choice in 2017.

Perhaps least surprising of all, giving their call for a referendum on the death penalty, is Ukip’s call to rip up our human rights guarantees (the UK would be the only country to do so except Europe’s last dictatorship, Belarus). Ukip demand that, “No undertaking shall be given in the leaving agreement that constrains the UK to being an ongoing member of the European Court of Human Rights.” This sounds remarkably like a rebuttal to a grassroots campaign which I’m involved in to ensure the EU doesn’t do a deal with the UK unless it guarantees human rights. Flattery, eh?

UKIP’s little England politics has been treated with kid gloves for too long. Ukip claim to be patriots but have a strong habit of talking our country down. After last week’s terror attack on London, former leader and now Trump rent-a-gob Nigel Farage popped up on Fox News to tell Americans he was “not sure” the idea that Britons were united in the face of terror “is true”. Their leader Paul Nuttall is soft on Vladimir Putin of Russia and Bashar al-Assad of Syria and former leaders have gone further in praise. They have contributed to the UK leaving the EU, which could in turn lead to the break-up of our country in a future Scottish referendum.