Reform UK’s leader was accused of being a ‘scrounger’ by an angry protester.
Nigel Farage was heckled in the Shetland Islands (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage laughed off a protester who accused Reform UK‘s leader of being a scrounger while he was campaigning in the Shetland Islands today. The MP for Clacton-on-Sea was being guided around Lerwick when he encountered protesters bearing signs reading “Migrants welcome”.
Video footage posted on social media shows Mr Farage reply to one man opposed to ultra-rich people entering politics: “Maybe we need more people in politics who know how to make money.” To which the man replies: “More billionaires in politics, that’s your idea, is it?”
Reform UK’s leader shot back: “More successful people in politics…” The man countered: “More billionaires – scroungers like yourself.” Mr Farage then turns his back on the man and strolls off with members of his entourage.
He told Shetland News after the row that the protesters were “extreme left-wingers”, adding: “The Green Party is not about the environment. This is modern-day Marxism in street protest.
“They are utterly deluded. There’s an almost slightly anti-democratic feel to it.”
Mr Farage went on to accuse the party and the protesters of hating both the rich and success.
Green candidate Alex Armitage told the Shetland Times they were there to oppose the “toxic Trumpian politics of Nigel Farage“.
Armitage said: “We stand against hate. Our politics are guided by kindness and we support the human rights of all people including migrants, ethnic minorities and all marginalised people.”
Reform UK’s leader was campaigning in Lerwick after addressing a party rally in Aberdeen on Monday night.
He told the audience the May 7 election would be a breakthrough moment for his outfit in Scotland and Reform UK could take “outright power” at Holyrood in 2031.
Polling suggests Reform is currently in a battle for second place with Scottish Labour ahead of the Scottish parliamentary election.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said Mr Farage’s target for 2031 would mean an SNP-led government returned in May.
SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney described Mr Farage as a “right-wing extremist” whose views “have no place in Scotland”.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives said: “Nigel Farage has made it clear once again he’s relaxed about the SNP staying in power for another five years.
“That is no surprise when his party are fielding pro-independence candidates and Lord Offord has failed to rule out another referendum.
“If we are to move on from two decades of SNP failure, pro-UK voters must unite around the Scottish Conservatives on the peach ballot paper to stop an SNP majority.”
Mr Farage was under pressure earlier this week amid allegations a company belonging to Reform’s Deputy Leader, Richard Tice, reportedly failed to pay tens of thousands of pounds in tax on dividends, according to The Sunday Times.
But Mr Farage said he was “satisfied” with how Reform’s number two had conducted his business affairs.
According to The Sunday Times, Mr Tice received at least £91,000 because his property investment company, Quidnet REIT Limited, did not pay the required 20% tax on the dividends before they were issued to him and his offshore trust in Jersey.
Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley said Mr Farage was “desperately trying to deflect attention from this scandal, but it won’t wash”.