Michael Crick
writer and broadcaster, author of 'One Party After Another; the Disruptive Life of Nigel Farage'
The exchanges on camera were shocking. As Nigel Farage returned to London on Monday morning, a Sky News reporter asked him about the gifts he’d received from his friend George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster – a story first exposed by The Sunday Times. Farage was incensed. “You tell your bosses you harass my family anymore and there’ll be serious consequences,” he said, talking directly into the Sky News camera, wagging his finger.
As Farage started to walk away, the Sky News man politely tried his question again: “Was it a mistake not to declare the gifts, sir?” Farage turned back abruptly, pushing his furious face even closer to the Sky News lens, jabbing his finger even more aggressively. “Did you not hear me? You have broken all the rules – Leveson and everything else.” Then he stomped off.
It was a telling glimpse of the other side of Farage – explosive, aggressive, nasty, threatening and bullying. He came across like someone from gangland. It’s the Farage the public rarely sees, but a Farage very familiar to many people who have worked closely with him in his parties, Ukip and Reform UK, over the years, especially those who have annoyed or challenged Farage, and been purged by him. It’s a very long list.
