Nigel Farage backs Europe (in the Ryder Cup, that is)

Try to imagine David Cameron, or Nick Clegg, dressed in full golfer’s kit, standing on the fairway declaring an undying support for the European Ryder Cup team. At the very best, they would look like posh boys dragging politics into one of middle England’s favourite pastimes. If Ed Miliband were to do it, it would look plain weird – even if he remembered his lines.

Yet Nigel Farage has done that very thing, fronting a two minute promotional video for Paddy Power. He opens with the unexpected declaration that he loves Europe – by which he means “the wine, the food, the excellent transport systems, the clogs, and the greatest golfers in the world” and goes on to taunt American golfers for their inadequacies – “they’re not names, they’re just noises.” Inevitably, the video ends with him holding up a pint.

Early reactions on Twitter were more positive than is usual for a public appearance by a politician – because instead of coming over as a desperate plea for votes, it fitted the contradictory view we already have of UKIP’s leader.

Farage has somehow pulled off the difficult trick of appearing to be an ordinary bloke who would be a pleasure to talk to in the pub, while being distinctly odd. The latest poll from ComRes, for ITN, gave him the highest score of the four party leaders when people were asked which leader “comes across as someone like me”, and which comes over as “weird.”

The unsung hero of this story, however, is the executive in Paddy Power’s promotions department who commissioned the video. Whatever it does for UKIP, or the game of golf, it is brilliant publicity for the bookies, achieved at very little cost.