Nigel Farage told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg he is ‘not inclined’ to publish his tax returns, despite Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak doing so for transparency
Nigel Farage has refused to commit to publishing his tax returns – saying it was an “intrusion too far”.
The Reform leader, who has declared more than £800,000 of outside earnings since entering Parliament, was asked whether he would be transparent like Prime Ministers Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer. He told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “I haven’t published my own personal tax returns. I personally think that’s an intrusion too far. I don’t believe it’s necessary.”
And he said he was “not inclined” to do it. It comes after he admitted he was wrong to claim he had bought a home in his Clacton constituency when the four-bedroom property with a pool was actually purchased by his girlfriend.
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Farage: No.
The home is owned solely by his partner Laure Ferrari, 46, who shelled out almost £900,000 for it. As her sole property, Ms Ferrari would be liable for around £32,000 in stamp duty, according to HMRC’s online calculator.
If millionaire Mr Farage had bought it himself, it would have cost him at least £75,000 in second home stamp duty – saving £44,000 and leading to claims of hypocrisy for his calls for Angela Rayner to quit.
Asked about it by Ms Kuenssberg he said: “The fact that she’s bought a house, I mean, why not?” On Saturday he branded a Mirror report “disgusting” for asking about it.
Mr Farage also left the door open for more failed Tories to join his team after admitting Reform lacks experience in Government – and said more former ministers would be jumping ship after he recruited ex-Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries.
But the Reform leader said he would not welcome Boris Johnson to the fold. He said lack of experience is Reform’s “biggest weakness”, and when asked if more ministers would be joining responded: “Oh yes.”
But party members would not warm to former PM Mr Johnson joining the fold, he said. “I don’t think that would work somehow,” he stated. He went on to say that “millions” had migrated legally to the UK under Mr Johnson’s watch and said: “That’s something for which this audience would never, ever forgive him.”
Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley said: “ Nigel Farage has no plan for Britain. Now he’s admitted he doesn’t have confidence that his team is capable of delivering a plan if he did have one. ‘Don’t know’ answers won’t solve the problems the country faces.
“And putting yourself forwards for high office while admitting your team aren’t fit to govern isn’t patriotism, it’s egotism. Britain deserves better.”
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