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Reform's candidate for London Mayor Laila Cunningham joins Tom Swarbrick to discuss the resignation of Nigel Farage as Clacton's MP. Speaking at Reform UK headquarters, he said standards investigations by the parliamentary authorities are “now being used as a political tool” as he insisted he has "done nothing wrong" and has not "broken the law in any way at all." He accused the media of harassment and vowed to fight a “people versus the establishment” by-election as he announced he is standing down as an MP. Listen to the full show on the all-new LBC App: https://app.af.lbc.co.uk/btnc/thenewlbcapp #tomswarbrick #nigelfarage #reform #reformuk #ukpolitics #uknews #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
Why is this necessary, this by-election
0:03
Well, because, listen, voters can weigh all the information available to them
0:06
and make their own judgment. He's taking the question back to the votes instead of leaving it to Westminster
0:12
And that's what democratic accountability looks like. And the question is what
0:17
The question is, do you trust Nigel to be your MP? And as a result, do you trust Nigel to be your prime minister
0:23
He's putting his record before the electorate, and he's not hiding from scrutiny
0:28
He's letting the voters decide. But they answered that question the last time he stood before the Matton election and they voted him in
0:34
So why do we need another go around on that question? Well, because you see, there's a pylon, there's an establishment pylon
0:41
Nigel is clear, and I believe Nigel, and I think the people believe Nigel. He has done absolutely nothing wrong
0:46
But there's been a pylon from the press, from the establishment, that somehow he has done something wrong and it's ruining his reputation
0:53
And frankly, it's up to the people of Clapton if they want to re-elect him as MP. if he's done something if he's not done anything wrong why does he feel that a question needs
1:02
re-answering by people in clacton why why can he not let the process that is undertaken at the
1:07
moment by the standards commission and what have you ask answer the questions that he says he's got nothing to answer for well i mean the the parliamentary standards investigation is going
1:15
to keep going it will follow its own process this by-election is a separate democratic decision
1:20
for the people of clacton the voters can weigh all the information available to them
1:23
and make their own judgment. When will the writ be moved to have this by-election begin
1:31
We'd like it moved ASAP. We've put it in today. I believe it's up to the Chancellor to approve it
1:38
And we're hoping as soon as possible we're ready. So, Lee Anderson, your Chief Whip, has already moved the writ
1:44
which begins the process by which a date is set for this by-election. I ask that because, of course, the Standards Commission
1:51
is doing its investigation anyway, and there is a potential here that we have the kind of ridiculous set of
1:56
circumstances where Nigel Farage himself triggers a by the Standards Commission reports back the result in that by is declared one way or the other And another by happens because a recall petition goes from the Standards Commission and we do it all again
2:11
Well, I mean, it depends. The Standards Commission will be investigating something separate and
2:16
this is a separate election. And listen, this campaign is about putting the decision back
2:21
where it belongs. Right now, you have the establishment and the press who are trying
2:26
to effectively reverse a democratic vote. They're trying to stop reform in its tracks
2:31
And this campaign is about... Why do you think they're trying to reverse a democratic vote? Well, they're trying to sully Nigel's reputation
2:37
He has done absolutely nothing wrong. But if you read all the press, you'd feel he has
2:43
But if he's done nothing wrong... They're even saying, how dare he own five homes, as if it's a crime for an MP to be successful and own homes
2:51
And we think that in a democracy, the voters are the final court of appeal
2:55
It's as simple as that. I think the question they're asking is where the money came from to buy those five homes, aren't they
3:00
No, they're not. They're asking why Nigel didn't declare sleeping at a friend's house
3:05
I mean, it's... Well, again, they're not quite asking that. They're asking why has the money that he received when he was politically active as the chairman of reform but not elected
3:16
why was that not declared? That's the question they need an answer, doesn't it
3:22
Well, because he wasn't an MP and he didn't need to declare it. But he was politically active at the time
3:27
No, I mean, being the chairman of a political party is like an honorary role
3:32
He was not politically active. That's the chairman of a political party? Yeah, he was a social media influence and he was a GB News presenter
3:42
Whilst also the chief executive of a political party. Yeah, but he was not politically active
3:49
You know, you could have, there are loads of people that are staffed at reform. I wouldn't call them all politically active
3:54
Even though they work for a political party? Yeah, because there's a difference between working
3:58
You're not an MP. You not elected You standing as a candidate You politically active you would agree Of course I am because I actually standing as a candidate So you would declare any money that went to you you would declare that money in advance of potentially being elected
4:11
If it was in my role of being a mayoral candidate, yes, of course I would
4:17
Hang on, Tom, we have people working here in the back office who work for a political party
4:22
but there is no way anyone would deem them to be politically active. You know, they're doing accounts. It's just there's a separation
4:29
They're not knocking on doors, they're not handing out leaflets, they're not giving speeches. They're not giving their name out there and asking people to vote for them
4:35
But Nigel Farage, as leader of that organisation, before he was an MP, was doing that
4:40
He was asking all of those things. He was saying vote reform. No, he was a social media influencer
4:48
He was a GB News supporter. He was not publicly agitating for people to vote for reform
4:53
whilst the chairman of that organisation. I haven't seen all his social media posts
4:58
You know, Nigel's convinced and he's sure that he's sought legal advice
5:02
He has done nothing. Yes, but you would agree if he had been advocating for reform in that role
5:08
he would be being politically active in the way in which you're absolutely right. The person who's the accountant would not..
5:12
I don't know. I'm not sure. I don't know the exact term of what politically active
5:16
and it seems to be quite subjective depending on who you're talking to. But Nigel was not politically active
5:22
He was a social media influencer and he was a GB News presenter. it um how is this by-election going to be funded by reform as as the party has suggested through
5:33
our funds do you know how much it might cost i think i think it's somewhere around a quarter of
5:40
a million and that you are offering reform is offering to pay that money do we do we know if
5:45
that's legal i mean the electoral commission presumably we would have a say on that i don't
5:50
know if it's legal okay you know i mean i'm sure the electoral commission will have a say on it but
5:54
But we are, you know, Nigel's willing to put his money where his mouth is and we're willing to pay for it
5:59
The issue of his security came up during his speech We know that he is unfortunately a victim of various forms of attack He talks about an incident at a pub We know the very well ones that have happened and that is awful Whoever they happen to it absolutely irresponsible completely ludicrous Shouldn happen
6:17
Plenty of people in public life, unfortunately, are targeted in that way. Someone like Priti Patel
6:20
for example, former Home Secretary, received numerous threats, attacks, accepted parliamentary protection and as a result um had to hand over her diary and her whereabouts in order to gain
6:32
that protection why did farage turn protection down parliamentary protection down or was it taken
6:37
away i believe it was taken away by by parliament yes do we know why it was reduced by 70 percent
6:46
right after charlie kirk was murdered do we know why it was reduced by 70 i don't know why i'm not
6:51
privy to that information. Would it help to know why? I mean, it would help to know why
6:58
You know, Nigel, we all know that Nigel's constantly attacked. And I don't think people
7:05
quite realise how awful it is to constantly know that there are people out there that want you dead
7:12
literally murdered. They'll post about it online. It's an awful existence. do you think nigel farage standing in election in clacton would beat
7:23
a representative of andy burnham's labor party 100 of course he would because the people of clacton um have rejected a labor government and
7:35
and they'll reject andy burnham's candidate what's the difference between an andy burnham
7:39
candidate or a keir starmer candidate and what would you say to restore to rupert lowe who um
7:45
Did some damage to reforms vote share in the Maker Fiat by-election by taking votes off you
7:51
What would you say to him as he gears up to put forward a plan for the by-election in Clacton
7:57
I think Rupert Lowe got about 2,000 or 3,000 votes. It was pretty minor. I mean, listen
8:02
we're not worried about any party. We're not worried about if Nigel's going to win
8:07
It's just by how big is he going to win
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