Greg Evans
May 16, 2019
Luke Dray/Getty Images
Footage of the Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage bragging about how much money he earns as an MEP for so little work has reemerged on social media.
The clip features a much younger and more softly spoken Farage, reportedly talking to cameras way back in 1999, in the halls of the European Parliament.
Farage, who would have been a member of Ukip during this period, stands with a wad full of cash in his hands claiming that he is now paid more than a Goldman Sachs banker because he employs his wife as his secretary.
When asked how much money he is holding, Farage replies:
This represents four working days and one journey. We're talking about £1,900. It's a good job this. Â
I worked it out that because so much of what you get is after tax that if you used the secretarial allowances to pay your wife on top of all the other games you play I reckon this job in sterling terms is worth over £250,000 a year to you - that is what you would need to earn working for Goldman Sachs or someone like that.
According to The Telegraph, Farage employed his German-born second wife Kirtsen Mehr, using his EU parliamentary assistant allowances, earning a salary of up to £20,000 a year.
Farage has previously defended employing his wife, stating that she has a 'modest salary' and that 'no-one else would want the role.'
The video had initially reemerged way before the Brexit referendum and fuelled speculation in 2014 that the Conservatives were attempting to launch a smear campaign against Farage.
With the upcoming European Elections, where Farage's Brexit Party appear to have a significant lead in the polls, the video is once again being shared by left-wing and pro-Remain accounts on Twitter.
On Tuesday, Leave.EU released an interview with Farage, where he claimed that he has been trying to lose his job for the last 20 years, which the aforementioned video appears to contradict.
Farage's attendance at EU parliament debate's has been strongly criticised by his fellow MEP's in the past and he also had half of his salary docked by the EU last year after an investigation found that he had misspent funds allocated to him.
More: This Twitter thread on Nigel Farage and Brexit is must-read​
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