Nigel Farage gives another explanation for not buying home after saying he had

Nigel Farage told reporters he didn’t want his name on deeds for a home in Clacton ‘for obvious security reasons’ after his girlfriend purchased a home, raising questions about stamp duty

Nigel Farage gave another explanation for not buying his own home in Clacton – saying he was worried about security.

The Reform leader faces questions after claiming he had bought a home in his constituency, only for it to emerge it was owned by his partner, Laure Ferrari. He would have had to pay an extra £44,000 if he had bought the four bedroom property for £885,000 himself, but insists he has done nothing wrong.

On Monday he said he did not want his name on the deeds for security reasons. But he did not repeat his claim that Ms Ferrari had paid for the house herself because she is from “a successful French family”.

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Mr Farage told reporters: “My partner is a private individual. She purchased a house in the constituency, I was pleased that she did.

“I didn’t particularly want my name down living in the constituency for obvious security reasons. Lots of questions were asked, which is why I went last week to an independent KC (King’s Counsel) tax expert.

“I’ve got the judgment. The KYC checks were done, the money was legal. The purchase was legitimate, the right level of stamp duty was paid.

“There were no laws of any kind broken whatsoever. As for the source of the money, I’ve said previously what I’ve said. And I’m not going to say any more.”

Last week Mr Farage told The Mirror his partner had bought the house using family money. But an investigation by the BBC said there was no evidence that they had the means to do so.

Asked if he was willing to repeat his claim or if he wanted to correct the record, Mr Farage said: “Be slightly careful what you say. There’s no loan being made of any kind because that really would raise very serious questions.

“I’ve answered the question earlier (from the BBC’s) Chris Mason. You know, I spent the money to get an independent King’s council tax adviser last week to say everything that has been done is legal, but I’m not going to say anymore.

“And I would advise people not to say in print or anywhere else that I have done something to break the law when it comes to stamp duty. I would advise that quite strongly.”

Last week he told The Mirror: “I haven’t lent money to anybody. I didn’t give her money. She comes from a very successful French family and she can afford it herself. It’s convenient, it works, and she loves it there.”

He confirmed it is Ms Ferrari’s “sole UK asset” but denied the arrangement had saved tax, adding: “That is a disgusting allegation, unfair and untrue.” There is no suggestion that either Mr Farage or his girlfriend have broken any rules over the Clacton house.

A Labour spokeswoman said: “The number of explanations Farage has given to the unanswered questions about his housing arrangement grows by the day. It’s really not clear what the public are supposed to believe. And he’s refusing to say anything more about the source of the money.

“It’s time he put the evidence on the table to ensure the public have the full picture as to what’s gone on here.”

It emerged on Sunday that he had previously said that his partner Laure Ferrari came to stay with him in 2017 – before they were in a relationship – as she needed somewhere to stay “that wouldn’t cost her any money”. In 2014, she told Euractiv, a Brussels publication, that she had started working as a waitress in Strasbourg “to make ends meet”, according to the Sunday Times.

The Mirror revealed that Mr Farage’s partner bought the property in his constituency, despite him saying in November: “I have bought a house in Clacton.”

She paid standard stamp duty rates on it as it is her only home. Mr Farage, who has a £3million property empire, would have paid an additional 5% if he had bought it – around £44,000.

He has since said he misspoke when he said he was the one who bought the house. There is no mortgage registered which would mean she paid cash for the property.

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