Up next in 10
Nigel Farage has declared his largest single payment yet for work outside his role as an MP, after earning £270,000 for promoting gold bullion. Mr Farage continues to face questions about a £5 million gift he received from Thai-based billionaire Christopher Harborne. 00:00 Lewis Goodall says Nigel Farage is not answering questions 'adequately' if he wants to be Prime Minister 07:59 Farage tells LBC's Nick Ferrari that how he spent his '£5m gift' has 'nothing to do with you' 09:24 Lewis calls out Farage's claims of being the most 'attacked political figure' in modern times 15:22 Caller Scott says Farage is a 'grifter' and agrees politicians should not have second jobs 17:47 Caller Simon defends Farage, saying his finances are private and he has a life beyond politics 26:03 Caller Ned says Farage is 'not PM material', calling him an 'opportunist' Listen to the full show on the all-new LBC App: https://app.af.lbc.co.uk/btnc/thenewlbcapp #lewisgoodall #nigelfarage #primeminister #debate #ukpolitics #uknews #news #politics #LBC LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK. Join in the conversation and listen at https://www.lbc.co.uk/ Sign up to LBC’s weekly newsletter here: https://l-bc.co/signup
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0:00
It's 10.03, Lewis Goodall sitting in for James O'Brien all this week on LBC and I have to say I'm almost a bit worried and concerned
0:06
Chris, Chris here from Worthing, before we even come on air, says happy birthday Lewis. How did you know Chris? That's weird
0:13
James is listeners, I love you but you're also weird, no offence. Probably shouldn't start the show should I
0:18
Calling everyone weird but you can give me some special dispensation given it's a special day for me. Anyway, no more of that. I want to start with, heard at the very end of the news there and we'll be talking to Simon Marks about that a little bit later in the show
0:29
after Prime Minister's questions, heard that about Donald Trump earning over a billion dollars
0:34
from cryptocurrency. And we have become rather accustomed, haven't we, to our leaders in the last few years
0:40
and certainly in America, doing things that would once have seemed unimaginable
0:45
Unimaginable. It used to be the case that when we had political leaders
0:48
in the United States, UK and so on, if they did have significant commercial interests
0:52
which was quite rare, because typically we had career politicians and having career politicians gets a bad rap these days
0:58
But one of the positive things about it is that they knew the rules, intended to adhere to the rules in terms of outside financial interests
1:04
They tended not to have really complicated tax affairs, certainly before they left office
1:09
Perhaps after they left office, it got a bit more complicated. But historically, that's the case
1:12
We've got accustomed now to seeing people like Donald Trump sit in the Oval Office
1:17
regulating some of the industries, including, and principally these days, cryptocurrency, over which and from which he is making inordinate sums of money
1:29
huge sums of money. And a couple of days before, of course, his second term began and resumed
1:34
we saw what was the shameful, shameful display of an incoming president
1:39
being asked about potential conflicts of interest, given that so much of his familial wealth is now being made from crypto
1:44
He was asked whether there is any conflicts of interest between his regulation of crypto and the fact he was making so much money
1:50
And he says to a reporter, well, how much money have I earned? And then they said, well, about $2 billion, sir
1:55
He says, not much compared to those guys. That's the point we've got to. Not much compared to those guys
2:01
$2 billion or whatever it was around that figure. And his answer as the incoming president was to say
2:07
well, you know, compared to some of the guys who are really making money, this is just a drop in the proverbial ocean
2:13
So we've got accustomed to that. And although, as ever, by comparison to American politics, British politics can feel but a microcosm
2:21
and all of the sums are smaller, and it all seems maybe a little bit more tin pot by comparison to the glittering citadel that is American politics
2:29
nonetheless, we've seen some of that start to take place in this country as well
2:34
And in particular, we see that the financial affairs of who on paper, the guy who on paper is topping the polls and could well be the next prime minister, Nigel Farage, are some of the most complicated of all
2:48
Now, I'm aware that the great man that normally sits in this chair is no fan. I think that's fair to say. I think Eleanor, is that right? No, yeah, he's definitely no fan, James, of Nigel Farage
2:59
I don't think James is going to take issue with me. I don't think he's going to text me to tell me not to say that
3:04
And I think I would say that I have a slightly more nuanced position on Farage
3:08
in the sense that I don't like a lot of his politics. I don't like the way that sometimes he conducts his politics
3:13
but I've spent a lot of time with him reporting on him over the years. And my view is that he is clearly a deeply substantial political player
3:19
and he has some not inconsiderable, well, he does have considerable political skills
3:24
He is a historic figure in British politics, whether you like it or not
3:28
But that doesn't change the fact or obviate the fact that the questions that are being asked of him and his financial dealings right now are significant and he is not answering them adequately if he wants to be prime minister
3:41
And we have the latest story broken by the Financial Times initially in the last 24 hours, which adds to those questions
3:47
Nigel Farage, it's been reported, is being paid £22,500 an hour to promote a company selling gold coins and bars to consumers
4:00
taking the Reform UK's leader's earnings outside Parliament to about £400,000 so far this year alone
4:09
We've just got to the halfway point of the year. £400,000 Nigel Farage has been paid
4:14
We've never seen anything like this before for an incoming potential prime minister. Nothing
4:18
Normally, leader of the opposition, someone coming into expecting to be prime minister
4:22
they do not have complicated financial dealings, let alone substantial outside earnings
4:28
Nigel Farage has been paid £400,000 this half of the year, or rather the half just gone, alone
4:35
Farage was paid £270,000 for 12 hours' work, it's been reported by the Times and the Financial Times
4:42
promoting the gold dealer Direct Bullion, double his fee from last year
4:49
A gold bullion company. That's who's paying Nigel Farage. This is on top of the £18,000 he was paid
4:54
to host on a little-known television network and the £42,000 he has earned
4:59
for recording personalised messages to fans on Cameo. Presumably he could get even more
5:04
if they're from No. 10 Downing Street, if, unlike Andy Burnham, he intends to live there
5:08
Since being elected MP for Clacton, And Farage has made almost £1.3 million in paid work
5:14
Bear in mind this Parliament is not even quite two years old, making him Parliament's highest-earning MP behind only..
5:21
Can you guess? Can you guess? It ain't Meg Hillier, is it? No. Rishi Sunak, who has made more than £2.4 million from work
5:28
including advisory roles at Goldman Sachs, Microsoft and Anthropic. Sunak, just for the record, donates this income, as he said, to charity
5:38
Now, of course, this all comes off the back of, in a way, this £24,000, this gold bullion company
5:45
It's significant and it might seem a little unseemly being paid literally by, well, I suppose, a gold mine
5:52
But still, it is nothing by comparison to the sums that we've seen from the £5 million gift from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harbourn
6:01
Of course, given before the 2024 general election, Harbourn is already Reform UK's biggest single donor
6:08
having given it £15 million since last year. Farage has said that he has no need to declare the money
6:15
as it was an unconditional non-political gift. Now, it might just be worth recapping Nigel Farage's changing story
6:22
on the matter of the £5 million donation, gift, bung, as some people have called it
6:28
Speaking to a reporter in Wales in May, Farage claimed that the five million was a gift to fund his security
6:34
It wasn't political in any sense at all, but it was for one purpose
6:38
I've been the most attacked physically politician of modern times, and yet despite repeated requests to the Home Office, the police
6:50
for protection and help, I've been denied at every twist and turn
6:54
This money is the only way I can look after myself and protect myself for the rest of my life
6:59
Just as a matter of information, I think that's a pretty unseemly line for Farage to claim
7:04
that he's the most targeted politician of modern times when you remember that we've had two MPs who've been assassinated literally in the last ten years
7:13
So by definition given that both David Amess and Joe Cox lost their lives that cannot be the case That nonetheless the security justification morphed somewhat because on The Sun Harry Cole saves the West Have you noticed the West being more saved recently
7:28
Thanks a bunch, Harry. When questioned about the £5 million, Farage then said this
7:33
It's very unusual for someone to give up 27 years of their life to campaign for something
7:37
and this was given to me on an unconditional basis, completely unconditional basis
7:43
but frankly, it was given as a reward for campaigning for Brexit for 27 years
7:49
And then that seemed to morph somewhat again when Nigel Farage was speaking to my LBC colleague Nick Ferrari
7:56
on this station last week. I've got to ask you a question about this £5 million gift
8:01
from this crypto billionaire. You know better than most politicians how LBC works
8:05
I'm getting comments as you and I are speaking. This man needs to tell us what has he done with the £5 million
8:09
Get him to be truthful. Nigel Farage, please, what has happened to this £5 million gift
8:14
with all due respect what's it going to do with you well because it speaks to the
8:19
position of how you hold in office initially we were told that it was because of your personal
8:23
security and it would pay for that for the rest of your life then apparently it was some
8:27
kind of reward for campaigning for Brexit I am told we have two different
8:31
stories which is the truth I think I think you're contradicting yourself there aren't you
8:35
if you tell me what happened with the five million pounds then we're solved it's an unconditional gift
8:39
I can spend it on Ferraris if I want that'd be entirely up to me
8:43
Why did you say it was for personal security then? Because it was given as an unconditional gift, right
8:49
The understanding is, and you know very well, you know very well, I've been physically more attacked
8:55
over many years than any other policy. I've been with you when you've been abused
8:58
I've seen that. But I just, my listeners want to know, Mr. Freud
9:03
how much has been spent. I can do with it. Nick, I can do with it as I want. I can do what I want with it
9:07
I can put it on the horses. Yes, you are under review, though, by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner
9:11
Well, and maybe we shouldn't be discussing it in that case. But what I will say to you is I know, I know that I will need protection until I die
9:23
Again, the most physically attacked of any political figure. Just to repeat, we've had two MPs who have been killed, assassinated over the last 10 years
9:34
So again, not true. There's no doubt that I'm sure that Nigel Farage faces security concerns
9:40
as many MPs do, and there are questions about MP security, not least, as I say, because two MPs have been assassinated
9:46
Nonetheless, nonetheless, note that first line from Mr Farage there, when Nick, entirely rightly, asked him about the provenance
9:53
of the five million and what it had been spent on. Mr Farage said, what's it got to do with you
9:58
What's it got to do with you? That's the state of our insurgent politics
10:04
the guy who's taking on the establishment. What's it got to do with you? Whatever you think about Keir Starmer
10:09
and I've had my criticisms of him. Can you imagine if when Keir Starmer was being dogged
10:14
entirely ridiculously in the main, about questions of glasses and suits and, you know
10:21
frocks bought for his wife, imagine if he turned around and said, what's it got to do with you
10:25
He would have been slammed. Rightly, he would have been slammed. He would have been excoriated
10:32
It would have been on the front page of the Daily Mail. The Daily Mail, today's Daily Mail
10:36
which I have in my hands right now, is that on the front page? anything about the gold bullion? Absolutely not. You'd have to go right into the bowels of the paper
10:42
to find anything about it. The gold bullion money from Nigel Farage. What's it got to do with you
10:49
That is purely Trumpian. It reeks of a Trumpian arrogance. Because what it has to do with us
10:55
Mr Farage, is that the British public have a right to know, a right to know, particularly with a new
11:00
party, particularly with an untested party and an untested prime minister, whether there are any
11:06
vested interests at work, whether he owes anything to anybody. And it is not good enough
11:12
to be able to turn around and therefore say, oh, oh, this hasn't got anything to do with you
11:19
It's just my money. That will work if you don't intend to be Prime Minister, if you're not saying
11:24
that you want to be Prime Minister, because whether Mr Farage likes it or not, he is public
11:30
property if you intend to be Prime Minister. And if you've received a £5 million donation
11:35
which is on top of the biggest set of donations that any political party in history in Britain has ever received
11:42
then don't be surprised if people are interested as to what that person might expect for his money, if anything
11:52
The question is, the question for you, the question I want to talk about
11:55
is whether his increasingly, Nigel Farage's, complicated financial dealings. dealings. And there's no question that they are complicated in the sense that he is receiving
12:04
huge amounts of money as a Member of Parliament, an unusually large amount of money in terms of
12:10
considerable outside earnings. Is this damaging his chances of being and becoming Prime Minister
12:18
Speaking to pollsters, speaking to people who do run focus groups, they say that this does come up
12:24
increasingly. And Mr Farage's explanations around it, and I think it's fair to say
12:29
terse explanations, tetchy explanations, being affronted for being even asked to explain any of it
12:37
is starting to rankle and it's starting to irritate. And crucially what it's doing, just to put the political ysis hat on for a moment
12:45
crucially what it's doing, it is that it is undermining his sense of being anti-establishment
12:51
It is undermining his sense of being the insurgency, something that has already taken a knock, and I can understand strategically why he did it
12:58
but has already taken a knock, arguably, by absorbing so many of the dispossessed and never possessed of the Conservative Party
13:06
Some of the more ghoulish figures that we've seen being absorbed by reform
13:10
And that has allowed Restore, another rather ghoulish force, to claim the anti-establishment mantle
13:17
And this questions about money, so much money flowing around from gold bullion companies and cryptocurrency companies and whatever
13:25
just adds to that sense. Are Nigel Farage's finances doing him considerable damage
13:33
perhaps irreparable damage? 0345 6060973, 0345 6060973. Particularly like to hear from you if you are a reform supporter
13:43
I'm sure there must be the odd one who can't move the radio station dial when James comes on
13:47
There must still be a few left that he hasn't had a go at over the years. Or maybe, maybe he has
13:52
And you can call and convince me as to why this isn't a problem
13:57
Because I have to say, can you really imagine what Nigel Farage's reaction or expectation would be
14:02
if Keir Starmer or Andy Burnham or Kemi Badenow or whoever it was had anything like this
14:09
The cry, the anti-establishment cry, they've all got their noses in the trough, he would say
14:15
And wouldn't he be right to say it? And why is it different if it's Nigel Farage
14:20
This isn't the first payment, of course, that Mr Farage has received from Direct Bullion
14:25
In December 2024, Nigel Farage received nearly £190,000 from Direct Bullion, directly to him, for four hours of work per month
14:37
Four hours work per month, £190,000. He received from the company in January 2025 also for four hours work per month and nine months later received 135 for an estimated 12 hours work spread across three months
14:53
This new payment that we're talking about today was received in May 2026
14:58
Nigel Farage's promotional page for direct bullion endorses physical gold because it is viewed as the ultimate asset for wealth protection
15:06
Well, it definitely is for him. and has historically performed well in uncertain times
15:10
but it concedes nothing goes up straight or is guaranteed. This is on top, of course, his annual salary for an MP of nearly £100,000
15:22
Scott is in Ramsgate. Scott, your views on this latest money... I can't believe I'm quite saying this
15:28
This money from a gold company to Nigel Farage? Yeah, you know, I don't know any man that's got 12 second jobs
15:35
You know, I don't think any MP should, like you said, they get 100 odd thousand nearly for just being an MP
15:43
But then they've got all these outside distractions. You know, this is just one of five million questions I think he still has to answer
15:50
And no, I don't think he'll make it across the threshold of number 10. He knows that. That's why he's, you know, filling his boots
15:57
I think, yeah, I think it's an interesting point. See, I've been saying for a little while now, I think basically Farage has got a decision to make
16:02
And I wonder actually deep down if he's actually made the decision in his own head, which is whether he wants to put in the full potentially three years of this parliament going into the next general election
16:14
And I think if he does intend to do that, he's got to make a choice. He's got to make a choice between these complicated outside earnings that he's got and financial affairs he's got and being in politics or he wants the money
16:26
And the truth is, is that although a lot of people think there's loads of money to be made in politics, the truth is while MPs are MPs, they tend generally, not all, but tend to just be MPs
16:35
And I don't think he's made that decision yet. I mean, he's just a grifter. I mean, ultimately, MPs are just self-employed consultants
16:43
But I don't know, you know, that the working man or woman or person, you know, cannot, you know, have like second or third jobs
16:50
It's called moonlighting. But it just seems I think this is the biggest scandal will be bigger than the expensive
16:55
At the end of the day, no MP should be having a second job, let alone having about 12, which I think Nigel Farage has
17:03
Is that true always, though, Scott? I mean, for example, some MPs are doctors or barristers or nurses
17:09
If you've got a profession and you know whatever and you can do that and you can manage that, you know, either way
17:15
But 12 second jobs, you know, I think that is... Do you think this is damaging him politically, Scott
17:22
Absolutely it is, but I don't think, ultimately he doesn't care. You know, he knows now with the Andy Burnham situation
17:30
potentially coming in the next few weeks, that is a divergence that will then not see him come across
17:35
the threshold of number 10. So he's obviously now just trying to, you know
17:39
he'll just say, you know, I don't want to be in public life anymore. He can't stand scrutiny because he's a grifter
17:45
Scott, in Ramsgate, grateful to you. Simon in Hartwell, I think, has got a rather different take on things
17:50
Simon, you don't think it's so much of a problem, all these outside earnings? Oh, this infuriates me
17:56
Go on. It really, really does. Well, there are many famous people that go and do public speaking
18:01
or they stand up in front of, you know, corporates to do motivational speaking. Don't charge £20,000, £25,000 an hour to go and do a speech like that
18:10
And I find this just infuriating. I also find it a little bit concerning from a timing point of view that, you know
18:16
he's asking for a general election, which says, face it, you know, We didn't vote Andy Burnham in
18:21
I think we should absolutely have a general election. But these things just seem to raise their ugly heads
18:25
when it's a convenient time to do so. I think, to be fair, Simon, just a point of information
18:31
I think, I haven't checked this, but I'm pretty sure that this will just be part of the regular updating
18:35
of the register of members' interests. So that's why this will have come out at this time
18:39
Well, possibly so. But, you know, beheading was ruled out many, many years ago
18:45
But I still believe that beheading is still active. You know, anybody that has a public profile that sticks their head above the parapet
18:52
to say things that people don't like. Simon, just to push back on you for a second
18:58
Yeah, you're right. Plenty of people do corporate work and they do speeches and whatever
19:03
and good luck to them. You know, they'll get paid good money for it. Fine. But those people aren't usually trying to be or seeking to become prime minister
19:10
No, I respect that massively. But, you know, think about a football player
19:14
They have a certain shelf life. maybe late 30s they've got the rest of their life to lead
19:20
and I think from the same point of view this 5 million, wherever it's come in from
19:24
probably from Trump or Elon Musk, whatever badge you want to put
19:28
on it but when Nigel Farage has finished his political career, he still has a
19:36
life to lead and he still needs Sure, but then surely like most prime ministers
19:40
they tend to make their money after they've been prime minister so there can be
19:44
no suggestion of impropriety or something affecting their decisions while they're prime
19:49
minister. I mean, let's put it this way to you, Simon. If you'd been paid by a company
19:53
say £400,000, and then suddenly you were in a position where you were able to, you were
20:00
regulating and legislating over, among other things, the corporate governance and the corporate
20:06
law and the regulation which affected that company, don't you think that you might think
20:10
hmm, if someone had given you £400,000, they're going to have your ear, aren't they
20:17
They are, but there's a part of me that also thinks that, you know, is it any of our business, really
20:22
Yeah, it is our business, but Simon, I understand. I totally don't think, as a private citizen
20:26
absolutely none of our business. He can make as much money as long as it's within the law, wherever he wants
20:30
But he's seeking to become Prime Minister, to legislate over all of us
20:34
to do things which affect all of our lives. Is it not reasonable for us to have the assurance
20:39
that there is not even a hint of potential impropriety or potential conflict of interest
20:45
as a result of all of these complicated and substantial financial affairs that he has
20:51
I agree with you, I do. But look at the bunch that we have in office at the moment
20:57
They're not corrupt, are they? It's scat. Oh, come on. Well, they're not. To be fair
21:00
they're not getting paid by gold bullion companies. No, but they're dodging tax
21:06
They're dodging income. Who's dodging tax? That's not corruption. Who's dodging tax? Keir Starmer? Rachel Reeves
21:12
Rachel Reeves? Look at all of the thing about housing and everything
21:17
It's all corrupt. You expect corruption from some government. Look at Mexico or Cuba or even Italy
21:24
And never, as an indigenous English person, I never thought the English government would be as corrupt as this bunch of markets we have
21:32
But Simon, look, I can understand you making a perfectly fair argument to say
21:36
you don't think that it has much to do with us and there isn't a conflict between trust
21:40
I think lots of people disagree, but fair enough. But you can't, on the one hand, say that this stuff with Nigel Farage is no problem
21:46
and then say, oh, but actually Labour politicians, who, whatever you think about them, the Labour government
21:51
they're not beholden. They're not receiving huge amounts of money and money directly into them
21:57
or payments from gold bullion companies and cryptocurrencies and companies and the rest of them
22:01
and then say that they're corrupt. I mean what your evidence for that Why is it a problem for Labour and not for Farage No I not separating that Like I said openly at the beginning of the call if I was a famous football
22:13
player that I wanted to go and do a, was requested to go and do a public speech
22:17
where I charged £25,000 an hour... But Jude Bellingham doesn't want to be Prime Minister
22:23
He just wants to be a football player, and that's fine. No-one's saying he can't make loads of money
22:27
But he doesn't want to be Prime Minister. If he wanted to be Prime Minister, it might become a problem. No, that's a valid point
22:33
But like I say, I think that this £5 million, slightly questionable
22:39
The bullying company, good luck to him. I think that's absolutely acceptable in my view
22:44
Being paid £400,000 by a gold bullying company? I think that's absolutely acceptable
22:49
In two years. You don't think that that might create a potential conflict of interest? No, I don't
22:55
The £5 million... Let me ask you. Let me ask you, if it turned out that Rachel Reeves had been paid £400,000
23:00
by a gold bullion company, how would you feel? I'll stick around. The day's not over yet
23:04
I'm sure there's something... No, no, no, let me pin you down on it. Come on, come on, someone. You know that's not going to happen
23:08
But if it turned out, if it transpired that Rachel Reeves... Let's say when she was shadow chancellor, which would have been the equivalent position
23:13
if she had turned out that she'd been paid £400,000 by a gold bullion company, would you have said, no problem
23:19
Yeah, I think so, yes. Do you, really? Yeah, honestly. Honestly? Yeah, absolutely
23:23
They're all going to have side hustles, as you quite rightly said. So you didn't think it was a problem when it turned out
23:27
Starmer was accepting suits and glasses and all that? Sorry, can you repeat that
23:31
Sorry, I was probably saying it too quickly, my fault. You didn't think it was a problem when Keir Starmer
23:36
was accepting suits and glasses and there was those controversies over that
23:39
No, honestly, I don't like him at all. In actual fact, every fibre of my body, I hate him
23:45
I've got that impression. Hate's a strong word. I absolutely despise the man. This is all about an image
23:51
He's going to be in the prime minister, he's going to be on TV all the time, is going to have
23:55
is going to have stylists, is going to have everything else that has to be portrayed. It's going to be, you know
23:59
presentation skills and everything else, media training, all that kind of stuff. But Simon, I think
24:03
I think, if I'm being really honest, I think this, if this were Rachel Reeves or someone
24:08
I think you would mind. I think you'd think it was correct. Like, you know, you mentioned the thing about
24:11
the story about council tax, right? Or I think what you're talking about
24:15
is when she, it turned out she'd broken the housing rules by renting her house out
24:20
without the 945 quid licence required by the local council. You cited that as corruption
24:25
Now, I think most people looking at that would probably think it was an oversight. It might have been stupid and she should be following the rules
24:30
But you're talking about 945 quid, which you're saying is a problem. But you don't have a problem with £400,000 being paid for a few hours' work for a gold bullion company
24:39
Well, he worked for LBC. We're going to question him about the money he earned from LBC for doing a job
24:44
But he wasn't an MP then. And also, that is entirely, you know, working for LBC as an MP and so on
24:50
You're not making, I mean, unless, I'll tell you what, unless I'm being massively underpaid, here. I don't think you're making $400,000
24:55
I don't know what he was being paid of, obviously. I have no idea what he was being paid of, of course. Alright, Simon, grateful to you. I do think, though
25:01
as ever with these things, people tend to wear their party political hats, and I think what Simon's getting at there, he's a big
25:07
Nigel Farage fan, and fundamentally he trusts him. He trusts him, and that's fine. And lots of people do, and I've interviewed countless members
25:13
of the public who trust him, they love him, lots of people who don't, and that's fair enough. But politics has to run about more than trust
25:20
It can't just be a case, which is what Farage is doing, and what Trump does all the time, which is just to say, just trust, just trust me, you know I'm good
25:26
You can't do that. That's not how politics works. You can't do accusations of potential
25:31
corruption or impropriety or just conflict of interest or whatever. You can't get over
25:36
that on trust. You can't defeat the rules or you can't defeat the potential of conflict
25:41
of interest by just going, trust me. That is a one way ticket to a corrupt politics
25:48
Even if that individual politician isn't corrupt, if that's the route you go down
25:52
sooner or later someone will come along who will be. That is why we have rules
25:57
and that is why generally we keep big money out of politics
26:01
or we ought to. Let's get a view of Ned from Bradfield. Ned, where is Bradfield, Ned
26:06
It's 10 miles from Clacton, Lewis. Is it really? Ah, there we go. Is Nigel Farage your MP or are you in a different one
26:12
I could actually walk about 250 feet down my road and be in his constituency
26:17
And be in Farage land, Farage country. Yeah, I sort of flip between here and Cambridge
26:22
Ah, Farage's fiefdom. Yes, exactly. So, I mean, it's always brilliant to have you back on
26:29
Extra Lewis, if you're filling in with James, is always a big treat. We have a saying on this show, or James does
26:34
it's not opinion, it's counting. And we just have to look at Farage's record, really
26:40
which you'll be highly aware of. But he was the third lowest voting or attendance
26:46
when he was in the EU, the NNEP. you know he took the two fishery meetings out of 170 or something he's not in clacton he's not
26:54
doing any surgeries he's not in the house of commons either he hasn't turned up for what 13 14 weeks
27:00
something like that eight times of wishing to be an mp he finally gets it well guess what they work
27:06
for us they don't work for 12 other people so he's got lots of time it seems to be not doing
27:12
the job that he was elected to do i mean being off on the conference circuit and shutting off
27:17
to the States and, you know, two hours. I mean, good luck to him. I didn't that kind of money
27:21
I mean, you've got to admire it in some sort of way. But, you know, he's
27:25
just not PM material. I think he's an opportunist. He's a disruptor
27:31
He's good at what he does, but he's going to have to give up all that cash if he even got near
27:35
to being the PM, which he won't. So, Ned, let me push back
27:40
Far be it for me to sit in this chair at this time and defend Nigel Farage. The lights will probably
27:44
go out. but let me push back on a little bit so I think we can delineate here
27:49
so I actually don't really like the criticism sometimes it comes when
27:53
particularly party leaders but also MPs A. they don't need to spend every minute in their constituency
27:58
I think we've got MPs today who actually if anything spend too much time in their constituency
28:02
they're supposed to be national legislators and national political leaders, they're not council workers
28:05
secondly, I never understood the criticism when you know who's flying to the United States
28:09
I mean you can have questions about who's paying for that that's slightly different
28:13
But, you know, if he's going, you know, as a political leader, I actually think it is a good thing for our MPs, party political leaders to have international profile, to be cultivating those leagues
28:24
And I suspect, honestly, all that stuff about you sometimes get in the liberal press and so on about why isn't he in Clacton, blah, blah, blah
28:30
I think he does spend time in Clacton. But at the same time, I think the people in Clacton, I suspect, look, they're going to vote for him again
28:37
They're going to keep voting for him. They will express their view. If they are that unhappy with him spending not enough time in Clacton
28:43
and spending too much time at the Republican National Convention, they'll vote him out
28:47
I suspect they won't because actually, as we've just seen in Makerfield, very often local people quite like the kind of celebrity MP kind of thing
28:53
and, you know, it kind of generates a personal vote. So that I think is separate
28:57
But there is a second question, which I think you're completely right to identify, which is about money
29:02
And I think that it is completely, it is unbelievable, I think, actually
29:05
that these stories are not getting more attention. Well, it's not unbelievable because we know what the papers are like
29:11
But it is when you consider the treatment that Starmer and Reeves and the rest of them got in the very beginning about minor things, donations, which are actually quite important for doing their jobs, you know, clothes and suits and all that sort of stuff
29:23
And also, by the way, party political leaders have been doing for years and years and years
29:28
It's unbelievable, the hypocrisy and the difference of the treatment
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