Farage fury over past remarks on Putin

Nigel Farage erupted in fury today when quizzed about his past statements on privatising the NHS and his praise for Vladmir Putin.

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage reacted angrily when quizzed about past statement by BBC's Andrew Marr.

In a heated interview with Andrew Marr, the new Brexit Party leader, was also asked about his past comments on climate change, gun control, and immigration.

Reacting angrily, he said: "All you want to do is go back to stuff from years ago, why don't we talk about now in British politics? I think you're all in for a bigger surprise on Thursday than you can even imagine."

He also said the questions were “very boring” and accused Mr Marr of not being interested in current events, adding: “What is wrong with the BBC?”

Appearing on the BBC Sunday morning politics show, Mr Farage declared there had been a “complete breakdown of trust” between voters and politicians in the UK. Polls published on Sunday showed that the former Ukip leader’s new party has the biggest share of the vote ahead of the European elections later this month.

He added: "What I do want to see from this European election, if we can win these elections, absolutely I'm going to demand that Brexit Party MEPs become part of the government negotiating team and we can perhaps talk some sense into them." He also said he was “mentally preparing” for a second EU referendum.

But Lib Dem deputy leader Jo Swinson said Mr Farage represented "the very worst of British politics".

Ms Swinson criticised his refusal to "own up to well-documented and abhorrent views” on NHS privatisation, his admiration for Vladimir Putin and his denial of the facts about climate change during the interview.

She said: "Despite his claims to the contrary, everyone remembers that he promised in 2016 that there would be an amazing cost-free Brexit deal available to Britain if we voted to leave the EU.

"To say today that he always advocated 'no deal' is a mark of just how shameless he is, and how little he cares for the jobs and livelihoods of the people of this country. There is one thing Nigel Farage cares passionately about and that is Nigel Farage."