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Only 'self-loathing' 'white middle-class people' think Ukip is racist, Nigel Farage has claimed in a blunt campaign trail interview.

The party leader hit back at critics by claiming he's widely-loved in 'black parts' of London, where he insisted residents had clamoured for selfies.

His frank remarks came in South Thanet, where a Survation poll has put him nine points ahead of the Tories' Craig Mackinlay on 39%.

Mr Farage told the Daily Mail: "The only people who think Ukip are racist are white people, middle-class white people.

"Come with me to a black part of south London, walk down the street, and you will find black people going: 'Hey man, good to see you'.

"It is the self-loathing that the middle and upper classes in Britain have about themselves in this country."

The row comes after ethnic minority Ukip candidates jeered at the party's manifesto launch when it was revealed the booklet had only one black face.

Mr Farage later dismissed the claims by saying the booklet also had the 'half-black' face of MEP Steven Woolfe, whose grandad was African-American.

The Ukip leader invited a team of reporters to join him this week as he surprised voters on the doorstep in his target seat.

He enjoyed a rowdy St George's Day pub knees-up - reportedly singing New York, New York while standing on a chair - and was all smiles as he told a husband on the phone that he was 'busy with your wife'.

But he also told the Daily Telegraph he has been struggling with a recurring spinal injury which has forced him to visit hospital twice a week.

Mr Farage claimed he has cut back his working day to 14 hours and could even give up cigarettes as he takes the drug Temazepam to help with the pain.