If Theresa May delivers EU exit deal that suits party’s supporters, it may have no future, former Ukip leader suggests

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Ukip could be defunct as a political force by the time Brexit is delivered if Theresa May reaches a deal that suits its supporters, the party’s former leader Nigel Farage has said.

Stressing that he had little faith in the prime minister to keep her promises on the EU withdrawal process, Farage likened the continued existence of Ukip to a home insurance policy, there largely as a safeguard.

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Asked if the party had a future, Farage said: “If in two and a half years’ time, May has delivered the kind of Brexit that voters wanted, then I think you can ask the question: what is Ukip’s future, where does it go from here?”

However, Farage told ITV’s Peston on Sunday programme that Ukip had to survive.

“It’s rather like, we all pay the house insurance every [year], not because we want there to be a fire, but just in case there is one,” he said.

“And I think it’s all well and good for May, who gives wonderful speeches and sounds very reassuring, but the truth of it is [that] as home secretary, she did the same thing on immigration and other issues, and didn’t deliver, and Ukip needs to be there in case there is backsliding on Brexit.”

Ukip performed disastrously in the local elections last Thursday, winning one seat and making a net loss of 114, taking 5% of the vote.

Farage said this was in part because May’s Conservatives had adopted many of Ukip’s policies.

“I led the party four years ago in those county council elections in England, on a manifesto of bringing back grammar schools, getting Britain outside the European Union, controlling immigration and helping small businesses,” he said.

“And four years on, the British prime minister was running on exactly the same ticket and swept the board.”

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Farage praised May for her accusation last week that the European commission was seeking to meddle in the general election, but said he still doubted her commitment to Brexit.

“She is using exactly the same words and phrases that I’ve been using for 20 years,” he said. “I’m thrilled. I thought bashing bureaucrats was purely my domain. It all looks and sounds fantastic, but as I say, we’ve got a career politician here whose record of delivery in the past has been very poor, so let’s see.”

Ukip’s general election performance was likely to be better, Farage claimed, because people would realise the Conservatives are set to win easily. Many party supporters had been in touch when the election was called to say “this time we have to support Theresa May” to secure Brexit, he said.

“Fast forward a couple of weeks, when people realise actually this election’s a non-contest, she’s going to win by a country mile anyway, then I think the squeeze that you tend to see on small parties towards the end of a campaign in this case will be the other way round,” he said.

Farage’s successor as Ukip leader, Paul Nuttall, has sought to move the party to the right with policies targeting the Muslim population and a proposal to slash foreign aid.

But some have criticised his leadership as uninspiring. Farage, on the other hand, praised Nuttall, saying his response to the local election losses had been “strong and reassuring”.

“Look, it’s difficult for him,” he said. “It’s difficult because the Conservative party has taken our agenda, for now.

“It’s also difficult because when you follow on from somebody, and I was a dominant, or my critics would say domineering, leader of Ukip, it’s always difficult to step into somebody else’s shoes. He’s doing fine.”

Farage defended his decision not to stand again for parliament, saying he would focus on his role as an MEP.

“I think as far as the delivery of Brexit is concerned, there’s far more action in Brussels than Westminster over the next two years,” he said.



“I shall continue bashing those Brussels bureaucrats, but obviously with May, I’ve got some real competition.”