Up next in 10
Nigel Farage told LBC that 'no illegal transaction occurred', that Reform UK did 'nothing wrong' and that his two top aides were 'entrapped.' Nick Ferrari asks his listeners if they believe him.
00:40 | Caller Rob thinks journalists, including Nick, 'have it in for Nigel Farage.'
02:41 | Caller Chris ask why Reform is 'always under attack'.
04:13 | Caller John says Nigel Farage needs 'better people around him.'
06:11 | Caller James thinks Nigel Farage has lost a lot of popular support
09:06 | Caller Jay accuses Nick of defending Nigel Farage too much
11:48 | Caller Caroline doesn't believe Farage's claims that Reform 'did nothing wrong.'
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0:00
They're laying traps with the aim of trying to discredit them, and I just find it a bit sinister
0:04
Clichés, clichés. No smoke without fire. He's losing the platform upon which he could win a general election now
0:10
Now, respectfully, respectfully, I have to say, I understand Mr Farage is saying what Mr Farage says
0:15
I get that, but that doesn't mean he's right and I'm wrong and Channel 4 is wrong and verbatim
0:22
the independent news organisation are wrong. I put it to you that we're right on this one
0:26
Continue to talk about the fate now of Reform UK The party faithful are gathering in Birmingham
0:31
But there's certainly some storm clouds As a result of that news piece yesterday
0:35
Nigel Farage, just under an hour ago Deciding to appear on this show
0:39
To try and offer some form of justification Rob's in Maidenhead, Rob you're on the radio, good morning Good morning, good morning Nick
0:44
It's a privilege to talk to you Nick, because you're such a great
0:48
Such a great journalist and interviewer Got through to the wrong person But anyway, do go ahead
0:53
Well, that's the reason I was so frustrated hearing you talk to Nigel Farage, because even a great journalist and interviewer these days seem to have it in for him so much that they just won't listen to what he's saying
1:07
And he was saying so very clearly, and you refused to accept it, that the poll was commissioned and conducted entirely independently
1:17
But it wasn't, Rob. It wasn't reform receiving an overseas donation and directing it to..
1:25
Rob, it was commissioned by the two people who decided they will stand down
1:29
Now, respectfully, I have to say, I understand Mr Farage is saying what Mr Farage says, I get that
1:36
but that doesn't mean he's right and I'm wrong and Channel 4 is wrong
1:40
and verbatim the independent news organisation are wrong. I put it to you that we're right on this one
1:45
Well, if those two people were reformed people, And if those two people were doing the commissioning, then I accept totally what you're saying
1:54
But that's not how I read the... Their names are James Orr and Dan Dukes, and they hold..
2:00
I don't know if you saw the news piece yesterday, and there's no reason why you had to. That's my job to watch those sort of bulletins
2:05
But they had a series of meetings which effectively culminate with that lunch out at Clacton
2:10
And that is why, I'm afraid, the defence that's offered by Mr Rajan on this instance, I just can't see it holds water
2:16
OK, well, you've got me, Nick. No, I haven't got you at all. No. No, that's not..
2:19
Honestly, I don't play those games. I'm not here to get you whatsoever. My job is to hopefully..
2:23
And thank you for your kind words about the show. My job is to merely sort of pass the..
2:27
What is it? The talking stick or whatever around. So I'm not allowed to get any... Well, happy to get a politician now and again
2:32
But I would never dream of getting the call. Because that's not the way I do it. I'm very pleased and welcome you all into the conversation
2:39
Rob, have a good weekend out at Maidenhead. Chris is in Bath. Chris, your reaction to what you perhaps saw last night
2:45
Certainly what you've heard on LBC. Good morning. morning nick yeah i'd just like to know why nick uh why um nigel ferrars and reform uk are
2:53
constantly under attack what is it they're frightened of you know and they're laying
2:58
traps with the aim of trying to discredit them and i just find it a bit sinister well i i take
3:05
you back to the days when sir keir starmer was under sustained attack for taking spectacles and using accommodation provided by lord ali and there have been other attacks Boris Johnson before him If you are a big political beast you are going to be scrutinised fact of life
3:21
It just always seems to be at the moment it's Reform UK in the firing line
3:26
Do you not think it's justified? Not really, I don't. No, no, I don't. I just find it a bit odd, a bit sinister
3:33
If you have someone who, and I do make this as the key again
3:37
leads a party that was leading the polls for 500 days, that performed particularly well at the local elections
3:44
that has, and I'll use the Labour Party words, a pattern of behaviour that could suggest illegal activity
3:52
that's what I call news, Chris. Yeah, maybe so. All right. But it's just a scene that Nigel is always under attack
4:00
from one quarter or another. and everyone seemed to be able to get him
4:04
All right. Well, of course, if you were listening to Mr. Eichel a little over an hour ago
4:09
he said there's nothing to see here, so we'll have to see how it works out. Chris, thank you
4:13
John's in Oxford. Your take on this story. John, you're on the radio. Good morning. Good morning
4:18
I just think he needs better people around him who should have stopped that from happening
4:22
You know, shouldn't have been able to get that close. And they should have just at the very first bit said
4:28
no, we can't have your dad give your time. One of the other people around him is, of course, George Cottrell and there are allegations
4:33
about financial, I repeat, allegations about financial impropriety involving Mr Cottrell. The one common denominator is
4:40
Nigel Farage, who's at the heart of all of these appointments. Well
4:47
that's because, I mean, he is such a public figure and I think the other two
4:51
parties are really out to get him. And he must basically get people who will
4:57
everything they do have that in mind. But noting that politics is a contact sport, and you're right
5:04
and they are out to get him, and he's out to get them, and everybody knows that, well, you should know that
5:08
if you go into that particular game, wouldn't you want to be purer than the driven snow
5:14
if you were Nigel Farage now, knowing that parties are out, or when I say parties, people, various sources, are out to get you
5:22
Um, yeah. I mean, that's why. And he's not, is he? I'm not saying he's broken the law here
5:29
but he's got himself embroiled in potentially another scandal. Why doesn't he, am I allowed to say, mind his pees and cues
5:36
No? It depends. I mean, I take it you're referring to the £5 million donation
5:42
The £5 million, did his, the purchase of the house for cash
5:47
was that him, was that his partner? I mean, I could go on, but I won't, because I think I've made my point
5:52
It's just, it does seem to stick around him, doesn't it? Well, I mean, with the purchase of the house, he is quite a wealthy man
5:58
I mean, he banks at Coot. So he's got the money. Right. OK
6:03
He banks. I don't think he does bank because I think he was debanked and that was another round
6:07
involving Nigel Farage. John, thank you. Enjoy your weekend down in Surrey
6:11
James is in Newton, Abbott. James, what do you take from what we've learned this morning and indeed what we heard
6:16
from Mr Farage himself? Well I outwardly say I not a huge fan of Nigel Farage from start to finish However one thing I learned from just listening to your show this morning because I listen to you regularly Oh thank you
6:30
And I tend to try and absorb the cross-section of the press as well
6:35
left, right, centre, whatever, because it's a healthy way to yse the news
6:38
I get a feeling that Nigel Farage might be losing the room
6:44
You know, I mean, I think the five million questions. obviously Nathan Gill is a bit of a red siren as well
6:51
The funding of the house in Essex bought for cash. All the questions, and I just kind of think there's an accumulation of things
6:57
And I think whether you like him or not, and I understand why people do and I understand why people don't
7:03
but I just get the feeling that over the last three, four months, and just when the news hit last night
7:09
just the penny dropped in a few very important corners. And one corner I'd say is your show, Nick
7:15
I just, I feel like you've got a profound sense of disappointment in someone
7:19
I wouldn't say that you're a fan or anything like that, but you give him fair due and fair credit where it's due
7:25
and vice versa, you hold him to account where you need to. And I just feel like that he might have just lost you
7:31
Well, I'm going to use the words that Lucy Powell used, and I'm going to ask you, James, whether you subscribe to that
7:37
And I'm not saying that there's any illegality, but there does appear to be a growing pattern of behaviour
7:41
which troubles, I know, many, and troubles me now, James. I don't think cliches, cliches, no smoke without fire
7:50
Lastly, what we do know, here is a fact, and I don't mind saying it, Ian
7:54
because it was one hell of an achievement, to lead the polls for 500 days
7:58
but now to drop, I mean, it's not a huge drop, but you're dropped back to third place. Do you think that's because of the sort of stories
8:04
that you just cited? Partially, yes. I also think that they did push back towards
8:10
a lot of policy attitudes that appeal to the base or the further right attitudes, love it or hate it
8:19
but you're not going to win a general election in a country that is historically and always will be more of a sort of
8:25
centre-right, centre-left, depending on what sort of bed it gets out of. You need to get people like me to vote for it
8:32
I've never voted Labour, but I have profoundly left-leaning attitudes at the moment
8:37
But then, you know, some of the policing arguments that you're going on about this morning, gosh, yes, I'm in favour of, you know
8:44
fair attitudes towards strong policing and stuff like that. I sit across this wonderful spectrum of
8:50
I could vote for anybody depending on the direction of the win. So, I just, yeah, I think he's losing
8:57
He's losing the platform upon which he could win a general election now
9:03
He's starting to lose the room. James, enjoy your weekend. Thank you for that. Jay's in Southam Walden
9:07
Jay, what do you take for either Mr Farage or for reform from last night and this morning's events on LBC
9:14
Yeah, I need Nigel Farage is offering us a different politics but he already has got so much problems before he got into power
9:22
even Kat has got nine lives, how many lives has he got
9:27
In your view, has he used them all up Jay? A long time ago So another thing is you like a parent who defending a naughty child all the time When are you going to give up
9:42
Sorry, give up what? You're always defending Nigel Farage, and now he's running out of his lies
9:50
I mean, he's giving us lies all the time. I mean, this is not the politics we need
9:55
Look at Donald Trump, what he's done to America. So he's just going to import that to Great Britain
10:02
So we don't need him anymore. All right. I'm sorry if you think that I continue to defend him
10:06
and that I didn't get my points across an hour or so ago. Let's move from him and let's, you think then, effectively, reform is over as well
10:14
I mean... Let me try this another way. Jay, can reform, does reform have a life without Nigel Farage
10:22
No, because Nigel Farage doesn't want to give a life to reform
10:26
because he's the only one who wants to be at the centre of their attention all the time
10:30
You know him from UKIP. You know him. How many parties he's changed? And he's fighting establishment
10:35
He's the establishment. All right. Jay, thank you. Caroline in Birmingham. Caroline, where does this leave reform
10:42
Oh, they're in your town, actually. Where does this leave reform in Birmingham? And where does it leave Mr Farage
10:46
Are you popping around to see him later today, Caroline? I definitely won't be attending the conference
10:52
I don't normally listen to a show, but I was curious to tune in this morning
10:56
to see what was being discussed. Mum, because our mum does. You did because your mum does
11:01
Oh, God bless mum. I'm listening to the show, yes. What's mum's first name
11:06
Linda. Linda. Is she in Birmingham? No, she's in Northampton. Linda in Northampton
11:12
Thank you for allowing Caroline in Birmingham to call me. It's all down to you. On you go, Caroline
11:16
So I was just struck by his defence, really. I didn't hear your interview with him live this morning
11:20
but he said that the poll had nothing to do with the party
11:24
and he had no idea a third party commissioned it. But I watched the report last night of Half an Hour
11:32
which I presume you have as well, Nick. And the guy from JL Partners, James Johnson, was on there
11:40
and he literally says, and I quote, Dan Dukes gave me a call, we want to do this polling as councils
11:45
he's referring to reform, to show X. The guy basically said it, he talked about informal rule bending
11:51
and later on in the report they talked about and they redacted the names
11:56
they donate to us through his son they donate to us through their kids
11:59
the idea that reform are not up to their eyes here is just absolutely ridiculous
12:05
and so where does it leave Mr Farage where does it leave Reform UK
12:09
in your city today Caroline I would imagine that his core voters
12:14
probably won't be too fussed about it unfortunately but hopefully people floating voters might start to see
12:20
what's actually going on here And last question, is that why in the polls they've gone from one to three
12:26
Do you think that's what's behind all of that, do you think? Again, sorry, Nick
12:30
In the polls, they've gone from number one to number three in political parties. Is it starting to rub off on what people's opinion are
12:35
I think so, yeah. I mean, someone like me has obviously been very anti-fraged all along
12:39
and I just, you know, there's a lot of dirt out there as far as I can see, but other people are starting to see that now
12:44
But others will say it's just a witch hunt and they're out to get him, and that will be his defence, as it always is
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