The Brexit grandee’s bizarre move to unseat Tory Leavers could ruin everything he has worked for

In Lord of the Rings, Frodo Baggins undertakes an epic journey and battles all as he seeks to destroy the One Ring, which gives absolute power to whoever wears it. When Frodo finally reaches the Fire of Mount Doom, he succumbs to temptation and chooses not to destroy the ring, but keep it for himself.

Recently, friends of Nigel Farage have taken to comparing him to Frodo. Mr Farage has spent a lifetime campaigning to get Britain out of the European Union. He overcame incredible odds to become one of the few who can say they made Brexit happen. But now Britain has the opportunity to leave the EU, he risks upending all he has worked to achieve.

This Friday, Farage will launch the Brexit Party election campaign. Despite his supporters’ boasts – that they can win in Labour’s Brexit heartlands where the Tories cannot – Farage will be not be in Sunderland or South Yorkshire, but the Conservative-held constituency of Walsall North.

Read Nick Timothy's latest column on telegraph.co.uk every Sunday night from 9.30pm

It is a curious choice. Three quarters of voters in Walsall North voted to leave the EU, making it the second most Eurosceptic constituency in the country. But voters there are not represented by some Labour Remainer, like Hilary Benn or Yvette Cooper. They are represented by Eddie Hughes, a Leave-supporting Tory.