Maajid Nawaz: No Doubt Steve Bannon Intends To Behave As If He's At War

15 July 2018, 14:52 | Updated: 15 July 2018, 15:54

Maajid Nawaz says that there is "no doubt" Steve Bannon intends to behave "as if he's at war".

The LBC presenter's show followed on immediately after Steve Bannon finished his live interview with Nigel Farage, where he was ready to take apart what was said.

"I think Steve Bannon has gone further than any of those politicians in Britain, that we usually define as right-wing populist," says Maajid.

"What he's done, on live national radio, is declare openly and self-describe himself as right-wing populist.

"The kind of language that usually the populists are seeking to ignore.

"Steve Bannon's unique approach to this is issue is to actually own those labels, own the terms, and then openly accept them like they're a good thing.

"That makes my job slightly easier, there is no obfuscation as to precisely what one stands for.

"It makes it easier for me to specifically identify the ideology what is being espoused."

Maajid pointed to one specific point in the interview, where Steve Bannon said: "You're going to have to fight to take your country back, every day."

Theo Usherwood, LBC's political editor, said: "That sounds like a call to arms," to which Mr Bannon replied: "Absolutely."

Maajid drew reference to The Fourth Turning, a book that suggests a theory that every 80 years, history goes through a catastrophic event.

"The four pivots that history turns on, in any western civilisation are: growth, maturation, entropy, destruction.

"Steve Bannon subscribes to this theory.

"Destruction off the back of which you have growth, that is the theory of the Fourth Turning that Steve referenced in the interview himself, when he said that he believes in this theory.

"That is a wilful and acknowledgement that we're heading to that destruction, and encouragement of that destruction so that you can rebuild."