A former political aide to Nigel Farage, who claims she had a decade long affair with him, has alleged he urged her to lie about it, to save Brexit.

Annabelle Fuller, 36, who worked as a speechwriter and adviser to the former Ukip leader, has said the pair were involved in a sexual relationship from 2004 until last year.

But she said Mr Farage, who was married, insisted that they lie about it so as not to damage the party's reputation.

Miss Fuller, who also claims the relationship plunged her into depression and self harm, has accused the 56-year-old of dishonesty and hypocrisy.

She told the Mail on Sunday: "Right from the beginning, lying about the affair was a strategy we decided on. We had many conversations about it, even in the past couple of years. He told me I had to keep quiet."

She went on: "Nigel and I both knew we had to keep quiet to save Brexit. We are both liars and hypocrites, but the reason I had to lie throughout the years was that I didn't want Ukip or the cause we were fighting for to be damaged."