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The Bad Boys of Brexit: Tales of Mischief, Mayhem & Guerrilla Warfare in the EU Referendum Campaign
Arron Banks enjoyed a life of happy anonymity flogging car insurance in Bristol until he dipped his toes into the shark - infested waters of politics - and decided to plunge right in. Charging into battle for Brexit, he couldn't believe how Westminster types behaved, and resolved to fight for the country's future his own way.
In the twelve months that followed, he tore up the political rule book, sinking £8 million of his personal fortune into a mad-cap campaign targeting ordinary voters up and down the country.
His anti-establishment crusade upset everyone from Posh Spice to NASA and left MPs open-mouthed. When his rabble- rousing antics landed him in hot water, he simply redoubled his efforts to wind up the targets.
From a David Brent-style office on an industrial estate in the south-west, Banks masterminded an extraordinary social media campaign against the tyrannies of Brussels that became a mass movement for Brexit.
Lurching from comedy to crisis (often several times a day), he found himself in the glare of the media spotlight fending off daily bollockings from Nigel Farage and po-faced MPs.
From talking Brexit with Trump and trying not to embarrass the Queen, to courting communists and wasting a fortune on a pop concert that descended into farce, this is his unexpurgated and highly entertaining diary of the referendum campaign.
In the twelve months that followed, he tore up the political rule book, sinking £8 million of his personal fortune into a mad-cap campaign targeting ordinary voters up and down the country.
His anti-establishment crusade upset everyone from Posh Spice to NASA and left MPs open-mouthed. When his rabble- rousing antics landed him in hot water, he simply redoubled his efforts to wind up the targets.
From a David Brent-style office on an industrial estate in the south-west, Banks masterminded an extraordinary social media campaign against the tyrannies of Brussels that became a mass movement for Brexit.
Lurching from comedy to crisis (often several times a day), he found himself in the glare of the media spotlight fending off daily bollockings from Nigel Farage and po-faced MPs.
From talking Brexit with Trump and trying not to embarrass the Queen, to courting communists and wasting a fortune on a pop concert that descended into farce, this is his unexpurgated and highly entertaining diary of the referendum campaign.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published October 31, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 25, 2016
This is the behind the scenes story of the organization that got Britain over the line in June 2016. Leave.eu, bankrolled by Arron Banks, dared to discuss immigration, actually involved real businessmen like Richard Tice, didn't shy away from Nigel Farage, who actually delivered the chance for the referendum in the first place, and made the real difference. Their internal polling was hyper-accurate, showing a 52-48 vote for Leave on the eve of the election. They got it right not only because they weren't full of crusty Tory euroskeptics who were part of the political class, but because they precisely targeted those old Labour voters which had to come out for Brexit to triumph.
The book is written in an interesting diary format, allowing us to go on the journey with Banks, "Wiggy," Nigel, and the whole gang. Perhaps most surprising for me was the sheer incompetence and underhanded tactics of Vote Leave, as well as the revelations of Tory dirty tricks in South Thanet. Despite knowing the ending to the story I still found myself exhilarated, excited, and touched as the book concluded and Britain's new future dawned. Will it be perfect? No, but it will be Britain's future, not the dark and murky future of the doomed EU.
The book is written in an interesting diary format, allowing us to go on the journey with Banks, "Wiggy," Nigel, and the whole gang. Perhaps most surprising for me was the sheer incompetence and underhanded tactics of Vote Leave, as well as the revelations of Tory dirty tricks in South Thanet. Despite knowing the ending to the story I still found myself exhilarated, excited, and touched as the book concluded and Britain's new future dawned. Will it be perfect? No, but it will be Britain's future, not the dark and murky future of the doomed EU.
November 18, 2016
An easy-to-read book that is quite one sided about the referendum campaign. One thing that the book does very well is humanise Banks from a fire-breathing immigrant hating monster into a successful businessman who is concerned about the future of the UK. Saying that there are a number of contradictions with how Bank's sees himself, contradictions he himself probably doesn't care about. For example, he often gets angry at Vote Leave for unprofessional behaviour while indulging in it himself and while he frequently points out things that have been reported wrongly about his own campaign he also repeats a number of falsehoods about other people and groups that have since been proved wrong.
However - in general this was a quick and fast-paced read, although it slows down in the last third or so. I would reccomend this book for anyone who can't understand why Leave.EU focused so relentlessly on immigration or doesn't understand why immigration was a concern for some of the electorate.
However - in general this was a quick and fast-paced read, although it slows down in the last third or so. I would reccomend this book for anyone who can't understand why Leave.EU focused so relentlessly on immigration or doesn't understand why immigration was a concern for some of the electorate.
July 28, 2017
Bullies. Racists. Grotesteque Dickensian archetypes. This book presents a blow-by-blow - lager-by-lager - insult-by-insult - presentation of the 'Leave' campaign. The men who ran the campaign were unapologetic bullies, saying the sayable.
These little men won the referendum and triggered article 50. Their vanity, anger, rudeness and nastiness represent the worst of little englishness. This book captures their smallness, insularity, ignorance and pointless bravado. And they dared to quote Kipling's "If." These men are not fit to clean Kipling's shoes.
These little men won the referendum and triggered article 50. Their vanity, anger, rudeness and nastiness represent the worst of little englishness. This book captures their smallness, insularity, ignorance and pointless bravado. And they dared to quote Kipling's "If." These men are not fit to clean Kipling's shoes.
March 15, 2019
A good story about the group.organisation that got the UK to leave the EU, a story about people that are not affraid to talk about and argue against sensitive subjects. This is a very interesting book, regardless of your own political views and opinion. One of the most significant events in UK history is well writen about in this book, excellent writing, well worth a read, cannot see any editorial faults or issues. my advice is read the book with an open mind and enjoy it for what it is. Really interesting.
January 7, 2017
Excellent - enjoyable romp through Arron Banks experiences during the campaign, pulls no punches but also admits his own failings and mistakes - very refreshing, an easy read and plenty of laughs.
The relative lack of editing and rawness of the text means it is in places unpolished but all the better for that it conveys the emotion and pace with which things happened.
Whatever your politics it's an entertaining and informative story.
The relative lack of editing and rawness of the text means it is in places unpolished but all the better for that it conveys the emotion and pace with which things happened.
Whatever your politics it's an entertaining and informative story.
June 27, 2017
Very interesting and quick read. Gives an insight into how politics works.
March 4, 2018
You know what you are going to get with this book really and I'd suggest anyone interested in reading Arron Banks' view of the referendum campaign will certainly enjoy this revealing account.
November 15, 2018
A diary-like account of the unofficial Leave campaign, the referendum victory, and (albeit briefly) Nigel Farage's role in the election of Donald Trump. Arron Banks is clearly a great laugh, but his account is spoiled by his needless use of bad language. Obviously, you cannot take everything he says at face value, it is a warts-and-all account of the momentous events of 2016. I have long suspected that some people in the official Vote Leave campaign were just feathering their own nests. Much of what Mr Banks says supports this thesis. They never got the memo on mass immigration, tended to only appeal to Eurosceptic Tories, and some of them were very late in coming out as Leavers. They also did a lot of damage with the slogan about spending £350 million a week on the NHS.
June 17, 2018
Excellent account of the long awaited referendum that at long last gave the British people the opportunity to vote for independence. Was one of the happiest/greatest days of my life and this book brings back all the excitement.
March 23, 2020
This has been lurking on hubby’s book shelf since the result of the referendum and title release. I had a desperate urge to get my hands on literature minutes after learning my library had closed. I have a pile of ‘right leaning’ titles to get thorough so it’s a decent challenge for me. BAD BOYS OF BREXIT is probably THE worse thing I have ever read, I won’t call it a book as it’s an insult to the noun. The recent historical content was fairly interesting , especially the big names that have made it to top government positions. After each sitting, I felt like I had suffered a ‘bully from down the pub’ nagging in my ear on a similar level to the ignorance of my youth. Stark name calling and personality compartmentalisation from a rich, admittedly self made man who openly made predictions both correct and dangerously incorrect. Supposedly.
September 6, 2019
The bad boys are primarily Arron Banks (the author), Andy Wigmore, Richard Tice, and of course, Mr. Brexit himself, Nigel Farage. Although I don't generally favor referendums, I did favor this one. Like the "bad boys," I don't care for EU leaders/globalists/the metropolitan class with their worship of free markets combined with leftist "values." Somehow, the "bad boys" managed to bring together voters across the British political spectrum to defeat the establishment at the ballot box. However, since Brexit has yet to actually occur, the "Empire" obviously is working on striking back. If you enjoy Politics as much as I do, this book may be for you. Although funny in spots, it does contain a fair amount of salty language.
October 20, 2025
In the past week I've been reading 'The Bad Boys of Brexit: Tales of mischief, mayhem & guerrilla warfare in the EU referendum campaign' by Arron Banks, it's a fascinating book for so many reasons.
Firstly the book is something of a vanity project rushed out by Banks (and his ghostwriter Isabel Oakeshott) in the months following the referendum, but this means (albeit with a touch of bravado) it is contemporaneous , drawn from sources and doesn't have time to alter facts with through an historical looking glass. With that caveat in mind it has become a useful historical document.
Mr Banks was the founder of the influential Leave.EU campaign that sought (and failed to gain) designation as the official Leave campaign vehicle during the referendum, previously he had given a £1 million donation to UKIP after William Hague claimed not to know who he was. He's that sort of figure, some may claim petty, others proud and passionate.
Banks' book is now, a decade later, an historical document that clearly show an understanding of people and politics that far outstripped that of many political operatives and commentators. He understood a demographic group that was motivated to vote for Brexit, subequently for a Boris Johnson government, and every indictator points to the rise of Reform UK by 2029. With this in mind Banks' words were prescient.
For all of the tales of high-jinks in the book Mr Banks' epilgoue is wise: "Individuals like Trump and Farage have given a voice to people who feel ignored by the metropolitan class, with its group-think love of free markets and left-liberal values... We have only seen the beginning and we can only guess at how outsider poltics is going to end up revolutionising our country."
Mr Banks also astutely sums up Nigel Farage saying "For all the apparent bravura, he can be quite risk-averse."
For opponents of Reform UK, and I don't automatically count myself as one (although I am not a supporter either), this is worrying. It shows Mr Farage is politically considerate and astute, but it shows that there are those behind him who understand data, human emotion and take risks accordingly.
Mr Banks' book may yet become an important historic text.
Firstly the book is something of a vanity project rushed out by Banks (and his ghostwriter Isabel Oakeshott) in the months following the referendum, but this means (albeit with a touch of bravado) it is contemporaneous , drawn from sources and doesn't have time to alter facts with through an historical looking glass. With that caveat in mind it has become a useful historical document.
Mr Banks was the founder of the influential Leave.EU campaign that sought (and failed to gain) designation as the official Leave campaign vehicle during the referendum, previously he had given a £1 million donation to UKIP after William Hague claimed not to know who he was. He's that sort of figure, some may claim petty, others proud and passionate.
Banks' book is now, a decade later, an historical document that clearly show an understanding of people and politics that far outstripped that of many political operatives and commentators. He understood a demographic group that was motivated to vote for Brexit, subequently for a Boris Johnson government, and every indictator points to the rise of Reform UK by 2029. With this in mind Banks' words were prescient.
For all of the tales of high-jinks in the book Mr Banks' epilgoue is wise: "Individuals like Trump and Farage have given a voice to people who feel ignored by the metropolitan class, with its group-think love of free markets and left-liberal values... We have only seen the beginning and we can only guess at how outsider poltics is going to end up revolutionising our country."
Mr Banks also astutely sums up Nigel Farage saying "For all the apparent bravura, he can be quite risk-averse."
For opponents of Reform UK, and I don't automatically count myself as one (although I am not a supporter either), this is worrying. It shows Mr Farage is politically considerate and astute, but it shows that there are those behind him who understand data, human emotion and take risks accordingly.
Mr Banks' book may yet become an important historic text.
November 6, 2019
I quite like reading this coming from Mr Brexit himself and based on his daily diaries, emails, personal recollection and personal impressions of people he'd met, behind the scenes dealings etc...
However, don't go into it expecting a balanced accurate account. Aaron Banks is a man of opinions, right or wrong, and he certainly makes them known all throughout the book. You won't read anything self-reflective or self-critical. Basically, him and his mates are the coolest, most intelligent bunch, and others (even fellow Brexiteers) are self-serving morons.
This book might trigger some snowflake remainers and I advise them to steer away from it. But as a remainer myself, I quite enjoyed reading about the Brexit dealings from Mr Banks himself.
Deserves 4 stars, but alas, the praise and the bromance Banks keeps lavishing upon Nigel Farage is just exhausting. It's as if Aaron's head was completely stuck up Nigel's arse, to the point the latter's testicles became Banks's vision goggles. Deducted one star for that.
A recommended read nevertheless.
However, don't go into it expecting a balanced accurate account. Aaron Banks is a man of opinions, right or wrong, and he certainly makes them known all throughout the book. You won't read anything self-reflective or self-critical. Basically, him and his mates are the coolest, most intelligent bunch, and others (even fellow Brexiteers) are self-serving morons.
This book might trigger some snowflake remainers and I advise them to steer away from it. But as a remainer myself, I quite enjoyed reading about the Brexit dealings from Mr Banks himself.
Deserves 4 stars, but alas, the praise and the bromance Banks keeps lavishing upon Nigel Farage is just exhausting. It's as if Aaron's head was completely stuck up Nigel's arse, to the point the latter's testicles became Banks's vision goggles. Deducted one star for that.
A recommended read nevertheless.
September 27, 2025
Fantastic fantastic account of all-out gorilla Warfare in the campaign for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. Behind the headlines and the bluster and the politics, here is the story of the people in the trenches who got the job done.
Read
January 11, 2021Fascinating.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews