Nigel Farage has been challenged on whether he would accept a peerage – as allegedly offered to him by the Tories in return for standing down Brexit Party candidates.
Appearing on a special edition of BBC Question Time, Farage claimed that he wanted to scrap the House of Lords because he did not believe in a system where peers are “put there by Cameron and put there by Blair”.
“We should abolish the House of Lords and make that elected too,” he continued.
But he was challenged by Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley to “rule out” taking a place in the House of Lords.
“No, I want the place abolished! I want real genuine, radical political reform,” explained Farage.
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“Yeah but you want to get out of the European Union but you’re still happy to take the salary as an MEP,” hit back Bartley.
As the Green leader received applause, Farage continued: “Hang on a minute!”
“If I wasn’t doing it… your colleague next to you go to Westminster and take the salary,” responded the Brexit Party leader, referring to the SNP, before also referencing Plaid Cymru’s leader.
“There’s nothing unusual being in the parliament you want to come out of, I have been the turkey who has voted for Christmas, year after year after year, and I’m very pleased about that.”
Tory panelist Robert Jenerick denied that the Conservative Party had offered Nigel Farage a peerage.
Asked if he was accusing Farage of lying, he explained: “I know the Conservative Party have not offered the Brexit Party any of these peerages of inducement…”
Pressed by presenter Emma Barnett who had offered Farage a peerage, he said: “I’m not naming names, but I may well do so to the Metropolitan Police when we get the enquiry.”
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