BBC Question Time: ‘Nigel, just answer the question’. Farage silenced by furious audience member over trade deal blunder ‘Nigel, just answer the question.’

Move over Anna Soubry, Nigel Farage has made a new enemy on Question Time.

The Brexit Party leader rubbed one audience member in Northampton up the wrong way on Thursday night’s programme after he suggested the UK strikes one specific type of trade deal – but couldn’t name another country who had managed to do the same thing.

‘Can you name a country?’

Mr Farage told Question Time audiences the Brexit Party backed a WTO trade rules option – which means it will strike its own trade deals if the UK does not strike a deal with the EU.

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There are currently 164 members of the WTO and if these countries do not have separate trade deals with other members then they automatically trade under “WTO rules.”

As it stands, the EU is in the WTO and represents all of its member states when it strikes a trade agreement – while other countries represent their own interests.

But one audience member said there were “a couple of problems” with the Brexit Party leader’s proposal.

He said: “I think there’s a couple of problems here.

“The fundamental problem first of all, is Nigel, you say the WTO rules are not the problem, that’s the solution.

“Name one country that is the WTO rules that doesn’t already have a trade agreement with one other country.

“Name me one country,” he asked.

‘Just answer the question, can you name a country?’ This audience member questions @Nigel_Farage over a no-deal Brexit. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/kMubWk5o7T — BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) May 9, 2019

Mr Farage replied: “WTO rules are the basis from which we begin. Now I believe the only way we can get a free trade deal with the EU without the attached politics, is first to leave, and they’ll come running.”

Not satisfied with the response, the man asked again.

“Nigel, just answer the question.”

Mr Farage replied: “By the way, there are two dozen countries queueing up to do trade deals with us.

“Can you name a country in the WTO that doesn’t have a trade agreement with another country?

“Once we leave, we’ll be able to strike deals all over the world, which will be far better off -”

It was then the audience member interjected with the answer. “Can I just say, the answer is there isn’t a country.

“Bear this in mind -” the politician continued.

Bruce soon interrupted Mr Farage to ask him the question again.

“Nigel, do you actually know the answer?”

“No I don’t, because actually there isn’t one,” he replied.

The audience member shook his head in disbelief.

“But you’re advocating to do it!

You’re sitting here telling members of the public to do that and no-one has done it before us,” he said.

‘I believe immigration is a good thing’

When she wasn’t locked in a fiery debate with Mr Farage, Anna Soubry was tasked with defending Change UK’s position on Brexit.

But when an audience member accused the newly-fangled party of taking donations from a pro-immigration group, Ms Soubry leapt in to correct the man – and received a resounding applause for her comments.

“I think you might be talking about a group who personally donated to my party. But more importantly, I’m going to say this: immigration is a good thing. I’m proud of this country’s heritage.”