Nigel Farage in interview meltdown as presenter asks how many times he's tried to become an MP

Nigel Farage had a meltdown live on BBC News after the presenter asked him how many times he has run to be an MP.

After some barely-concealed hints that he’d be making a significant announcement, Farage made his political comeback on Monday (3 June) and revealed that he would be running to become a Reform UK MP.

In a speech, the former Ukip leader announced he has been made the leader of Reform UK for the next five years, and that he will stand in the upcoming July 4 general election in the Essex constituency of Clacton, having previously said he would not be re-entering UK politics.

The U-turn marks Farage’s eighth attempt at being elected to parliament as an MP, having stood as a candidate in seven previous elections without success between 1994 and 2015.

And, it seems that fact may be a sore point for the right-wing politician as he had a tense exchange with a BBC presenter who asked him about his previous attempts.

During their live discussion, BBC’s Ben Thompson put it to Farage: “Call [Ukip] a pressure group, call it a party, you were a candidate to be an MP on a ballot paper in an election.”

A frustrated Farage replied: “Ok, mate. How many times have you stood? What do you know about it?”

When Thompson attempted to suggest that people will question the fact he’s tried it several times before and sought to ask what makes this time any different, Farage cut in.

“Ask something intelligent and we’ll carry on with the conversation shall we?” Farage said.

Thompson responded: “I'm interested in why people should trust you when seven times previously you didn’t manage to [become an MP].”

Farage replied: “Pass. Pass. No, no, no, no, no… I think you’re very, very boring. And I think your viewers will find you very boring and you ought to do rather better as the state broadcaster, in my view.”

Farage also refused to appear on Newsnight on the BBC that evening.

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