ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the trickster irony of Brexit supporting politicians and satirical responses to those mobilisations of irony. Taken as a discursive strategy, trickster tactics are shown to be significant in Leave discourse as a method for enacting ironic transgression that has populist appeal. The chapter begins with the example of Conservative Member of Parliament and central Leave campaigner Michael Gove and comments he made about ‘experts’ during the EU Referendum campaign period that constitute anti-elite othering. It is then shown how comedians responded to this use of irony and the effectiveness of responses is evaluated. In the second example of ironic trickster discourse from Leave-supporting politicians, Nigel Farage's Leave.EU ‘Breaking Point’ poster is examined in relation to debates on racism, along with his defence of the poster and examples of the way in which it was attacked in political satire. Finally, the chapter examines defences against claims that leaving the EU was motivated by racism.
