Farage RESIGNS but will Count Binface be only other by-election candidate?
7/7/202636 min
Nigel Farage is trying to take back control of the scandal around his finances. Facing mounting questions and a parliamentary standards inquiry which could prompt a recall petition and by-election he has pre-empted it all and forced one himself. He's pitching it as the people against the establishment - the chance to flick two fingers at the media and political opponents, and prove he's done nothing wrong. But will it work? Will it resolve any of the questions about who gave him money, why and why he didn't declare it? Is this a genius masterstroke by a brilliant tactician, or a desperate stunt by an angry man that could backfire? And is it effectively an admission that the inquiry will find he broke the rules? On this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy was joined by the former Conservative now Reform supporting commentator Tim Montgomerie, former Reform Deputy Leader turned Farage critic and rival Ben Habib, who has shared a platform with far-right activist Tommy Robinson, and from More in Common the pollster Luke Tryll.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsBen Habib· Guest0:00
This isn't a legitimate by-election. It's one that's been called in order to short-circuit parliamentary standards. Rupert Lowe not standing is the right thing. I don't think the conservatives should stand, and Labor and the Liberal Democrats should boycott the by-election as well.
Tim Montgomerie· Guest0:15
Reform gets a level of scrutiny, um, from the media that is off the scale compared to other political parties. You know, the Financial Times recently... No, no, absolutely.
Krishnan Guru-Murthy· Host0:27
[laughs] Come off.
Tim Montgomerie· Guest0:27
Absolutely. 100- I was sitting here politely listening. [laughs] 100, 100%. He is a man who knows what he believes and cannot be bought.
Krishnan Guru-Murthy· Host0:36
What a lot of people wonder is, are you a bunch of egomaniacs squabbling between yourselves- [laughs] ... for control, and that the only reason you're now against Nigel Farage is 'cause you want to be the boss? [news music] Hello, and welcome to The Forecast. Nigel Farage is trying to take back control of the scandal around his finances. Facing mounting questions in a parliamentary standards inquiry, which could prompt a recall petition and by-election, he has preempted it all and forced one himself. He's pitching it as the people against the establishment, the chance to flick two fingers at the media and political opponents and prove he's done nothing wrong. But will it work? Will it resolve any of the questions about who gave him money, why, and why he didn't declare it? Is this a genius masterstroke by a brilliant tactician or a desperate stunt by an angry man that could backfire?