Farage On The Record | LBC Exclusive with Reform UK's Leader

[00:00:00]The political leader with me to discuss his musical memories was reportedly barred from the BBC's Desert Island Discs. If you were looking for the definition of a Marmite politician, you'd do no better than the one from whom you're about to hear. Loathed by the liberal elite, but clearly loved by a considerable number of the masses.

[00:00:17]He's led outsider political parties. He has started to triumphs in European, local, and even a general election.

[00:00:24]Indeed, in his colorful career, some might suggest he's had as many parties as Sylvio Berlesone. Shortlisted as Time magazine's man of the year after he helped deliver Brexit. For one political commentator, he is a loathome, pitical, pitiful figure who has wrecked Britain.

[00:00:39]But for another, he is singularly the most successful politician of many recent decades. Here now to reflect on his own six decades and more, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. Nigel, thank you for joining me. Well, what a pleasure.

[00:00:51]And yes, opinions divided. But isn't that what freedom's about?

[00:00:55]>> Should be.

[00:00:56]>> Isn't that what democracy is about?

[00:00:57]>> Should be. Let's look at your life. You have survived a road crash in which you nearly had to have your leg a leg amputated.

[00:01:04]>> Mhm.

[00:01:05]>> You survived cancer.

[00:01:06]>> Mhm.

[00:01:06]>> You survived a light airplane crash.

[00:01:08]Light aircraft. Do you consider yourself lucky or unlucky?

[00:01:12]>> Very lucky. Incredibly lucky. I mean, how I survived that road accident? You know, I was crossing the road, Pelican crossing, dark November evening, windy, wet, leaves coming down, hit by a car, bang, over the bonnet, fractured skull, leg smashed to bits, many other injuries. I mean, you know, the odds of me surviving that were not really very good. And similarly, you know, the if you've been a light a light airplane crash, it isn't the crash that kills you, it's the fact that it goes up in flames.

[00:01:42]>> What's your memory of that moment, the airplane crash?

[00:01:46]Oh, very interesting. I mean, you often think, what would it be like if you sort of were literally facing death? Now, normally terrible accidents happen in a car or and they're over before they even start. In this case, I had several minutes to think to think about it, knowing what was going wrong. And initially, it's this can't be happening.

[00:02:07]Oh, goodness me, it is happening. Then fear runs through your body. And then towards the end, as we're careering towards the ground, almost resignation.

[00:02:16]>> Did you say a prayer?

[00:02:18]>> I just said, um, if this is it, can it please be over as quickly as possible, which is all you can do. And then we had the crash. And the miracle was that as the nose hit the ground, the engine bounced out of the casing about 20 yards away because that was the hot bit. And then suddenly you're upside down. You're trapped. You can barely breathe. Um, but I thought, "Okay, just someone please get me out of this thing." Um, and and sure enough, uh, Duncan Barks, >> uh, the broadcaster.

[00:02:50]>> Yeah.

[00:02:51]>> Uh, was there with a passing cyclist >> and got me out.

[00:02:54]>> Okay.

[00:02:55]>> And as I walked away, even though I was smashed up, you know, every rib broken front and back, split sternum, etc. Uh, as I walked away, I thought, "This is great. I mean, I've survived it, you know, and I think I think the airplane crash perhaps more than the things that happened to me when I was younger did change my attitude towards life a bit.

[00:03:16]>> Well, let's get on to your early life and we're going to work through your six decades.

[00:03:21]>> Your parents split when you were just five.

[00:03:23]>> Yeah.

[00:03:24]>> What do you remember of that? And how hard was it for you?

[00:03:28]>> Well, I remember remember not being very happy about it. Um obviously I also remember at school I mean divorce didn't happen >> middle class middle class prep school just didn't happen because you know a few years later that was rather different. So that was perhaps difficult >> but you know it all didn't last all that long. Uh my mother remarried after a year or so to a very decent local businessman and a nice bloke. He was great. Uh my father got his life sorted out. Um, a and so to be honest with you, the period when I was not not very happy about it was mercifully short.

[00:04:06]>> We've talked a little bit about your luck. Let's talk about the luck elsewhere in the Farage family. Because if we go to your grandfather, he served in the First World War.

[00:04:14]>> He's injured in the Battle of Aras and he's brought back to the UK and he was almost going to be sent back.

[00:04:20]>> Yeah.

[00:04:20]>> To almost certain death, but he was saved by a sport.

[00:04:23]>> Yeah. That's a lovely story, isn't it?

[00:04:24]Cricket. Yes. He he he he was a good opening bowler and he was going to level, wasn't he?

[00:04:30]>> He was seconds. Yeah. But he was going to go back. He was going to go back to the Western Front with the 24th Londons, the Lambeath and Southern Volunteers.

[00:04:38]Um, and they had a new detachment going out in early 18. And they were pretty much wiped out by the great German assault of late March 1918. But he was kept back because the general thought he was a jolly good opening bowler and ought to bowling for the division. So, isn't life extraordinary?

[00:04:54]>> Had he gone back, you wouldn't be in it.

[00:04:56]>> Well, that's right. Exactly. And and I guess in a way we can all look at our lives a little bit like that. But that was a very glaring example of luck.

[00:05:03]Absolutely.

[00:05:04]>> Let's talk a little bit as well about your your love of cricket because that comes from your your grandfather. Why is that so important to you?

[00:05:11]>> Well, both my grandfathers were fanatics, you know, spent their retirements watching little black and white TVs. I think how good telly is today when you watch cricket. I mean, I always from from very early on always liked sport. Was always interested in sport and and I'm probably now um in terms of being a fan what you call a sports nut, you know. I mean, I'm interested in every sport, you know. I'm interested in contest. I'm interested in fortune. But yeah, I enjoyed playing cricket very much when I was a boy growing up. Uh enjoyed playing golf very much. Uh games like rugby I just wasn't so good at.

[00:05:43]>> Right.

[00:05:44]>> I still love watching them, but I wasn't so good at. But yeah. I know and I and I've and I've been watching cricket going to cricket whether it's Lords or the oval for the whole of my life.

[00:05:53]>> Before you go to secondary school, prep school, happy days, >> it's pretty tough. It was Denzian.

[00:06:00]>> It was explain that to younger listeners. What does that mean?

[00:06:03]>> Oh, the discipline was was was was really very very tough. And I think there was quite an atmosphere of fear.

[00:06:10]Now actually I think a little bit of fear if it manifests itself in in in in terms of respect isn't a bad thing but I I don't look back on the early days at school with with any great particular affection.

[00:06:25]>> Was there a teacher who made it a little bit better in your prep school who will come to your secondary school in a >> No. I mean there were good people there.

[00:06:31]Of course there were. But it was a very I mean you know the late 1960s it was a very different world.

[00:06:35]>> How did that fashion you? What did that do to a young Nigel Farage?

[00:06:39]>> Well, in some ways, of course, it toughens you up and you think, "Well, just I just got to put up with this."

[00:06:43]You know, whether you hated the food you were served or whatever or made to do crosscountry runs or whatever it was, you just got on with it. So, there's no lasting damage from it. But I don't view that with any great uh affection particularly.

[00:06:55]>> Now, this is Faraj on the record. So, we need to hear some of your selections.

[00:07:00]And the first one, if I've got my sums right, actually comes back to the year that you were born, 1964. What is it, Nigel?

[00:07:07]>> Well, it's it's Dion Warrick and and you know, we all think to ourselves that what's our first memory? And before coming to see you to do this show, I thought, what's the first record I can remember? Now, it doesn't mean it was a new release, but I'm guessing it'd be 1967, 68. Uh, so walk on by and I can remember that being on the radio and I think of the late 60s. I think of my mom, very attractive mom, looking very 60s, sort of hair and skirts and a little sprite sports car that she used to drive us around in. Um, and so I look back on that uh fondly, but also gosh, it does seem a long time ago. Let's listen to some of it now. You say goodbye.

[00:07:59]>> Walk on by by Bert Bakarak for Dion Warrick from 1964. You mentioned your mother there, Nigel. Were you close to mom or dad? I would like to think both.

[00:08:09]I would like to think both. And how fortunate they're both still alive?

[00:08:13]>> Tremendous.

[00:08:14]>> Both still alive. Both pretty well.

[00:08:17]Good. They're not I mean they're not quite as physically active as they might be but they're both pretty well. So I'm very fortunate with that. And >> and you're a professional outsider and we'll talk more about your politics later as we work our way through your life. But >> what's their view of you as a professional political outsider? Do they ever say Nigel, for goodness sake, lad.

[00:08:35]Rein it in.

[00:08:36]>> Occasionally I get a phone call from my mom. Why did you do this? I hold the phone out here. You know, I mean it's all a bit too much really. But uh no, but I would like to think they're proud of what I've done.

[00:08:48]>> You don't know if they're proud of what you >> Well, I think they are, but you know, we're English. We're English. We don't talk about these things too much.

[00:08:54]>> Well, you're very English. You went to one of England's finest uh uh public schools. You go to Dulich College. Um how many Nigils were there in your year?

[00:09:02]How common a name was it?

[00:09:03]>> Uh not very many. Uh a few around the place. Uh it's it's a funny name. It becomes very popular in medieval times and Scotland nearly had a King Nigel.

[00:09:15]Very, very nearly had a King Nigel. And then it sort of disappears. Then it comes back and it sort of peaks just before I'm born. And then it virtually disappears off the face of the map. And of course, everyone blames me. Well, to say of course you killed off Nigel. It's not true. And it's now making a comeback.

[00:09:36]>> Is it?

[00:09:36]>> Yes. There was a Nigel's christen last year. Yeah. How many?

[00:09:40]>> 14 I think it was. It's not very many.

[00:09:42]But but then you know something having an unusual name is quite helpful because you know my Christian name is not particularly common these days and my surname is a very unusual >> name. Uh and I think that's been an advantage to me actually.

[00:09:55]>> Before we go back into your school, just coming back to your family, they'd all vote reform.

[00:10:00]>> Not all, most.

[00:10:02]>> You got any Labor voters or conservatives in the ranks? Oh, I think there's probably one who's a bit further left than Labour, you know, but well, you know, it's a family. But no, I mean, look, you know, I mean, both my grandparents and parents would have always been conservative. You know, we we worked in, you know, my maternal grandfather was a senior Scotland Yard police officer.

[00:10:25]>> You know, father, grandfather on father's side, stock brokers, army.

[00:10:30]Yeah. very and southern of course you know and very conservative >> and your grandfather's experiences the bravery he showed on in the battle is that what prompted your interest in the first world war because I remember you you you used to I don't know if you still do tours of the first world war battlefield >> I haven't done tours for some time just because of literally I haven't got time to do it but I would do it >> yeah I mean >> prompted by grandad >> yeah I think very much so I think very much so in fact I mean the first world war the second world war these are now massive tourist sites >> and this is because people are going back to see where their forebears went and and also to put themselves in their shoes. And you think when you when you go and visit these places, you think, well, how would I have reacted? Yes.

[00:11:10]>> Would I have been up to it? Uh, you know, >> and what did you learn about your granddad?

[00:11:15]>> Brave bloke presumably.

[00:11:16]>> Well, yeah, but not I mean not talked about.

[00:11:19]>> I just just not just not talked about.

[00:11:21]And and and I think that was why in this country the British Legion sprung up in thousands of places in the in the early 1920s. this was something that men discussed with each other. Didn't discuss it with the women or the kids or anything like that. I think perhaps we were more open after World War II and we're certainly more open now after the recent conflicts that we've been in. Uh but we were, you know, in those days a very buttoned up society.

[00:11:44]>> More music choices from Nigel Farage in a moment. I'm Nick Ferrari. You're listening to Farage on the Record here on LBC.

[00:11:51]>> Let's go back to your days at Dulich College.

[00:11:53]>> Yeah.

[00:11:53]>> Did you join the CCF, the combined?

[00:11:55]>> Yeah, loved it. Did all >> just to explain to everyone that's combined cadet force. Combined cadet force. What did it mean to you?

[00:11:59]>> Army section. Yeah. I mean, it was so exciting. Uh, you know, we were 13 and there we were with number four short pattern Leenfield rifles with 1917 stamped on them and we were taken down to a range in Kent >> 1917.

[00:12:16]>> They were they were First World War rifles, >> but this would be in the late this would be in the 70s.

[00:12:20]>> Yes. But a good rifle if it's No. Good rifle if it's looked after will last pretty much forever.

[00:12:26]>> Yeah. and you're 13 and they say, "Right, you know, pull it in tight to the shoulder. It's got a hell of a kick and everyone thinks, "Oh, I better just because it might hurt me." And then it really hurts you. Um, so yeah, learning to shoot was a really, really good thing, you know, going on camp doing all those things. I really loved it. Um, and I to be honest, Nick, it was a 50/50 with me. I mean, university, forget it.

[00:12:49]I was never going >> Why forget it, Nigel?

[00:12:50]>> I wasn't interested. I mean, you know, I'm not an academic. Doesn't mean I'm stupid, but I'm not an academic. So, I was thinking very much about joining the army. I did the army interview. So, I was on track to do it. And >> did you Sorry, I don't do you have to pass it or >> you did the interview then then you get sent off to do a further test. But at that point, something was happening in London with the advent of a Thatcher government. Exchange controls right >> had been removed. Suddenly the city was starting to boom and there were these things called yuppies.

[00:13:24]>> Yes.

[00:13:25]>> And these were young men who were earning lots of money, lots of pretty girls and smart cars. And I thought the army's great, but I'm going to become a yappy.

[00:13:33]>> Well, we'll go more into your city career. Have you ever regretted not going into the military, not following grandfather? Uh, look, I think that I did what I did and you shouldn't back trade in life too much. I think if you do back trade in life, then as you get older, you'll probably get quite miserable. So, I did what I did. I'm sure I would have thoroughly enjoyed it.

[00:13:57]>> Would Nigel Farage have been a good soldier?

[00:13:59]>> I'd like to think so. Yes. And of course, we're talking as I don't need to tell you more than a million young people aren't in education, employment, or should military be an option, Nigel?

[00:14:11]Yes, but to even entertain large numbers of young people going into the army, the air force, the navy, you would need first to massively increase the size of what it currently is. So I I certainly for the next few years, I just don't see it as being an option. But what I do think is that young people should work.

[00:14:30]I think getting into the habit of work early is a good thing. And what's happened over the last couple of years with the massive increase in minimum wage, employers, national insurance, all of these things is those 16 and 17 year olds whose first job would have been washing up in a pub or serving on and things that most people at some point going back did those opportunities have been taken away. And so if you if you never get into the culture of work and if you're encouraged to believe that you're a victim, uh then you probably do go on to benefits and perhaps stay there.

[00:15:05]>> Let's come to a song that would have been coming towards the end of your career at Dage College 1979 the logical song. Why?

[00:15:12]>> Yeah, I just like Super Tram and I think a lot of the music that we had in the 70s was pretty trashy, frankly. And here were these young Americans who were actually musicians, you know? I mean, I don't think we said the Sex Pistols are great musicians. We really quite funny, but not so so I know. It was just it was just a group that I liked.

[00:15:37]>> The logical song Super 1979. Nigel Farage. There's a lyric in there calling you a radical, a liberal, a criminal.

[00:15:46]All three of the above. Well, I that's one of the reason I like the song, you know, is that it is it is that it does talk about politics and differences of opinion and all of those things.

[00:15:54]>> Well, you are radical.

[00:15:56]>> Yes.

[00:15:56]>> You've never been a liberal.

[00:15:57]>> No.

[00:15:58]>> And you're not a criminal.

[00:16:00]>> Well, not yet.

[00:16:01]>> Let's go back to the days at Dullich College. Um, so we enjoyed the Did you have nicknames?

[00:16:07]>> Uh, I think I was called Fudge for many years because I used to sort of make fudge at home and bring it in in big boxes and things like that.

[00:16:15]>> Why did you do that?

[00:16:16]>> Don't know really. This just seemed like a fun thing to do.

[00:16:18]>> Were you a popular lad?

[00:16:20]>> Oh, I was either very very very popular or deeply unpopular. And I >> So you're not in the first 15 rugby?

[00:16:26]>> No, but I played cricket a bit and I was captain of golf and I was very active in societies and one of the most stimulating parts of school was the fact that being located so close to Westminster, we got the great speakers of the day to come into the great hall at Dunage and speak.

[00:16:43]>> Tell me some of those names who came down. Well, I mean, one of them was the GLC leader, Ken Livingston. It was quite brave of him, wasn't it, to go to a private fee paying school and speak, but he did. He was and he was really interesting and and very good with the crowd. Enoch Pal turned up. That caused a hell of a storm. Uh, but the one that really >> Did you attend Mr. Pal's speech?

[00:17:00]>> Oh, good lord. Yes.

[00:17:01]>> What did you learn from Enoch Pal's speech?

[00:17:05]that he was obviously clearly a man of brilliant mind and yet somehow didn't quite have maybe the common touch as an individual. You could see it. This was the wartime brigadier. This was the professor of Greek. Uh this was the remarkable man.

[00:17:24]Um but somebody who you see somebody who was in a hurry.

[00:17:29]the way.

[00:17:31]>> Oh, because he he clearly was, you know, I mean, he was the youngest brigadier in the British army in World War II, the youngest professor of Greek of Greeks of Greek in the British Empire. And he wanted to become prime minister. And he was in a hurry. And when you're in a hurry, you make mistakes. And I do think the 1968 speech, the so-called rivers of blood speech, whilst in many ways what he was trying to say makes sense, you know, he said to the babysitters that night before he and his wife Pam went off to give the speech. This one will go up like a rocket >> and so he sort of cast himself out from political respectability by doing it.

[00:18:09]>> How unfair has history been then to not pow in your view?

[00:18:14]Well, these are different times and you can never sort of judge the social moors of them with now. Um, I think on Europe he was 100% right. I mean, that was the issue that he resigned from the Conservative Party over.

[00:18:28]I think if he hadn't given the 68 speech, we might have had a more rational debate about mass migration than we did.

[00:18:37]>> Dage College is a tremendous school, but it's a tough school. Everyone accepts that. I used to play them at rugby so I know how tough the school that I was at.

[00:18:43]Were you ever bullied?

[00:18:45]>> No.

[00:18:46]>> Were you a bully?

[00:18:48]>> No, but probably probably pretty asseric and pretty sharp.

[00:18:52]>> Do you think teachers look back with fonders teaching young Farage or degree of >> 50/50?

[00:18:58]>> Really?

[00:18:58]>> 50/50. I mean over the over the was it nearly 45 years since I've gone back and a lot of them really liked me at the time and still do. Um and a lot of them didn't like me then and don't like me now. But I was always being controversial and saying stuff and well I was quite proud of meeting the old headmaster many years later who said he'd voted for me in the European elections. I quite like that.

[00:19:19]>> Oh that's good.

[00:19:19]>> I quite like that.

[00:19:20]>> You joined the Conservative party age 14.

[00:19:22]>> I did and that was because of the speeches at the school. Keith Joseph Ted Heath as well.

[00:19:26]>> Um I I listened to Ted Heath. He came and spoke as well. He didn't convince me. I can tell you. Um but Keith Joseph came along.

[00:19:32]>> What did you like about Keith Joseph?

[00:19:33]Keith Joseph.

[00:19:34]>> What do you know it's really interesting but you sort of Sunday lunch.

[00:19:38]Sunday lunch with certainly in my father's case Victorian grandparents you know born in Victorian England >> of course >> you know who'd been born into a country with an empire who'd seen great sacrifice but you know victory or the winning side >> in two world wars and by 1975 and those years after that a feeling that it was all over that literally you know Britain was finished uh inflation nearly 30% % unemployment 3 million. Uh I mean the whole thing was falling to pieces. We were the sick man of Europe. And when Joseph when I heard Joseph speak he Joseph speak in 78. This was a a a national plan for renewal. A radical plan for renewal.

[00:20:26]>> There many would say there are parallels with today Nigel Farage. What you just outlined where you know King UK was.

[00:20:32]>> Yes.

[00:20:33]>> Accurate or not?

[00:20:34]>> No. It's worse now.

[00:20:36]Why says >> we haven't yet reached the economic depths that we did in the middle late '7s but we will it's coming I can see it I can feel it smell it I know it and then the divisions were between unions and management uh between left and right yes they were all there I mean obviously Ireland a different kettle of fish but but on on on the mainland those divisions were there but we were all still very British >> let's come to your Third choice, and this is as you emerge, I think, and start to put a a career together in the city. Some would say it's an interesting choice. You're going for number by madness, Nigel.

[00:21:14]>> Well, you see, I couldn't wait to be a grown-up. One of the reasons for not going to uni was I want to be a grown-up. I want to earn my own money, buy my own house, do my own thing, make my own decisions, be free, not be told by anybody what to do. And part of that was passing a driving test and getting a car. And suddenly you've got a car and you can go anywhere you like and do anything you want and a tremendous sense of freedom. Funny today a lot of people I work with young people I work with in politics who live in the big cities for them passing driving tests and getting cars is not they just get an Uber. But for but but for me that it was part of becoming an adult. It was part of being free. By the time I was 18 I'd had enough of school had enough of rules.

[00:22:04]Haven't been told what to do. And so I chose the madness track just because it was part of Wow, I'm a grown-up. Let's go for a drive.

[00:22:17]>> Driving in my car. Madness 1982. Come on, Nigel Farage. Your first car.

[00:22:22]>> It was a hand-me-down Austin Allegro.

[00:22:24]Maybe not one of Britain's finest, but it worked and it and it and it did me well. Um, and yeah, just that sense I can go where I can go wherever I want.

[00:22:33]That was your first car. You mentioned youngsters doing jobs in pubs and things like that. What was before you got into the city? Did you do a job working behind a bar or in a restaurant?

[00:22:40]>> So I was a member of the local golf club um in in down what you know the village I'm from and I used to go up there and the professional would go out and play matches with the captain and leave me in charge of the shop and just say if in doubt just write something down. So you'd sell people golf balls and hats and things like that. So I'd managed the shop uh for him uh and then I'd caddy a bit. So there were sort of jobs like that at the golf club that I did to earn some money. And of course having a few quid in your pocket is a very good feeling. Let's move you away from school into your teens in your early 20s. But just before we take you away from the college, you had your former head teacher showed great respect. There were largely discredited stories about your supposed antics at Dage College. Has that colored your view of your school days in any way? Because clearly you enjoyed it. You you clearly love the CCA. Clearly, they colored your memories.

[00:23:32]>> I enjoyed the whole place. I had a ball of fun there. I probably wasn't the best behaved person they've ever had. Um but my leaving report was really quite funny. You know, I mean, you know, he's been a blooming nuisance, but we're going to miss him. Um uh look, you get accusations of things that you've said and done, and who's to say when we're 14 or 15, we don't say things that are inappropriate or wrong or abusive or because we do. It's what kids do. But I see this is the funny thing, isn't it?

[00:23:59]If you're in politics, it's not very difficult to find people you've met in your life who will say disobliging things about you. It's just the way it is. We're going to take you into the workplace and there'll be more music from Nigel Farage on the way.

[00:24:14]You're listening to Farage on the Record. It's time for the news headlines on LBC.

[00:24:18]>> Let's take you into the workplace. So, the military's loss was the city's gain.

[00:24:23]Yeah, >> talk us through that, Nigel.

[00:24:25]>> Just extraordinary. Just extraordinary.

[00:24:28]You know, you're 18, got a new suit, >> you get you get betrayed. I can't even remember. probably CNA or something like that, you know, and you come up to London and you walk into a grown-up's world and you walk into what was a very noisy world, dealing rooms, people shouting, big ashtrays built into the desks, two phones. Uh, just so exciting. So exciting.

[00:25:01]>> Who made the introduction?

[00:25:03]Did an old mate ring you and say, "Hey, it happened to be it happened to be a bloke. Do you know what? It was a bloke called Bob I met at the golf club." He said, "You know what? What are you going to do, son, when you leave school?"

[00:25:14]>> I said, "Well, you know, I'm toying with this, but you know, father's on a stock exchange, but I'd rather do something a bit different and forge my own life."

[00:25:22]And he happened to be managing director of a firm on the London Metal Exchange, and that's where I went. I mean, if I if I told people what a working day was like in the early 80s in the city, I don't think anybody listening would even believe it.

[00:25:38]>> Try me and I'll see if I can match it with Fleet Street.

[00:25:41]>> Well, so I I tell you what, I bet there's some parallels. sort of half 11 was the time for the sharpness because generally you were not feeling absolutely at your 100% best in the mornings as a result of the previous daytimes activities. So you go for a couple of large ones at 11:30 and then you do a bit of work for a few hours and then it was lunch. Um, and then you'd have the afternoon and then you'd be out in the evenings, uh, in between times gambling on anything that moved.

[00:26:14]Um, name calling, mickey taking, uh, laughter, laughter. Do you know if I think back to the how much laughter and fun there was in offices and now you go into a modernday um newsroom or you go into a modern day dealing room and you can't hear a pin drop. I Nick, I can't even tell you. I loved it so much. I absolutely loved every minute of it. And I love the people. everything from sort of old Etonian dropouts to the Fenet Street boys coming in, the old East End lot who moved out to Essex coming in. It was just I mean I absolutely adored it.

[00:26:54]>> How much money did you make? Were you making a lot of money?

[00:26:56]>> So I mean by the time I was 21 22 I was earning what would now be considered to be quite good money. Um >> give us a clue.

[00:27:03]>> Well in modern in modern day money it' be seven figures a year I suppose. Um it was very good money. I remember certainly spent it but u but it was >> so what we've traded in the Austin Allegro by now what are we >> yeah yeah we're sort of gearing up a little bit by now but we in the Porsche but well the trouble is we're spending a lot of money as well but no look it was but but you know there were good years and bad years you know there were bull markets there were bare markets um I enjoyed the job very much indeed and it wasn't all fun you know there were there were days when you'd be in there for 12 hours and barely have time to go to the L cuz you'd be absolutely crazy busy and then it your position would be going wrong and you're pacing the house at 3:00 in the morning thinking, "Oh my goodness me."

[00:27:48]>> You you rightly say the workplace has changed as it has in rightly identity news.

[00:27:52]>> Is it healthier though now that there isn't that kind of rather robust culture shall I say?

[00:27:57]>> I don't think so.

[00:27:58]>> Why not?

[00:27:59]>> Because going to work was enjoyable and it wasn't and you know what it wasn't for everybody. that that life that I was involved in in commodities in a city, it wasn't for everybody. It was for a certain type of person. You I went to a funeral the other day and there were dozens of people there that I've known for 40 years or more. Uh and an amazing sense of camaraderie between all of us even after all these years. Uh you did develop that great sense of being part of a team. Uh and there were and there were yes there was Mickey taking but there was also respect for each other as well. You talk about it being a time of great laughter, but this is also in the decade when you had your road crash that we've already mentioned where >> it's extraordinary you're actually still here in reality.

[00:28:43]>> Yeah, that was I mean that was bad. That was bad. That was really really bad. Um >> yeah, I was hit hit on a Pelican crossing.

[00:28:54]Um did >> they tell you we might need to take your leg?

[00:28:58]>> Yeah, there was all sorts of debate about that. Uh the worst bit was yeah fractured skull. My teeth were all loose. I couldn't eat food. I had a semolina and things like that. All my teeth were loose. Big black eyes obviously fractured skull and I woke up with tinitus in that ear in in the right ear which which plagued me for many many years. Um yeah it was a horrible experience.

[00:29:20]>> How often do you think of it?

[00:29:24]>> Look forwards.

[00:29:25]>> You've never relived it.

[00:29:29]I'd be a liar to say I don't occasionally think about things that have happened that have gone wrong, but it is literally only occasionally. And I think >> I hear you. You must look forward, but there must have been nights you've woken up in a cold sweat and you're suddenly hit. It was a VW as I recall from research, wasn't it?

[00:29:41]>> I know.

[00:29:42]>> They must.

[00:29:44]>> Yeah, it was.

[00:29:44]>> What were you going to say there?

[00:29:46]>> I could have a joke about the Germans, but I won't do that. Given the second wife wouldn't be right. No, I mean I you know as we get older and I met scores of first and second world war veterans as a result of my interest in military history.

[00:30:11]And those that remembered the good times in old age were much happier than those that remembered the bad times. And I think the human brain is incredibly good at erasing the bad stuff and remembering the good stuff.

[00:30:30]>> We're going to get on to your political career in a moment, but let's bring in your next choice, which was a great political anthem, but not for UKIP or Brexit or reform. I speak of what song.

[00:30:40]Well, I mean, look, whatever you think, what whatever your views, and yes, of course, it was the end of 18 years of a Conservative government, but what Mandolson and Blair and Campbell put together for the 97 general election campaign was just off the charts. And the choice of Darim and Things can only get better.

[00:31:05]And I sort of laugh thinking about seeing John Prescott dancing and Neil Kennock, but it was just the most incredible political campaign because what it spread was a sense of optimism and I think so much politics and certainly after two years in the House of Commons, it's all negative. It's all, "Aren't you awful? Aren't you awful? No, you're worse." There was something about what they were doing that spread energy and positivity. And so I choose it because it was a big moment. It was genius.

[00:31:43]>> Things can only get better. Dream 1993.

[00:31:46]Of course, referencing the Labour general election of 1997. Right, let's get into your real political side. Now >> you're not 30 and you decide to found a political party, UKIP. Why?

[00:32:00]There was a day in 1990 October when the UK joined the exchange rate mechanism.

[00:32:07]I was actually in a pub when we joined.

[00:32:10]Somebody ran the message in and I won't repeat on this program the exact words that I uttered. But let's say I I I I viewed it with some dismay, >> right?

[00:32:20]>> I thought this can never work. Who are these morons that think this can happen?

[00:32:26]we're a different economy to Germany's, etc. And the next day, you know, every trade union supports it, every big business supports it, every newspaper pretty much supports it, the BBC support it, obviously. Um, and I thought, no, I don't support it. And I ranted about this over the next couple of years until, of course, Black Wednesday, we crash out.

[00:32:46]Then major signs of the masterric treaty takes us even deeper into the European project despite the pain that we've just gone through by aligning with attempting to align with the currencies to join the what we now know as the euro. And you know what I thought thought I finally found the thing I'm good at? I've finally found the thing that I'm good at, which is seeing where everything's going, reading the tea leaves, and predicting what public opinion will be in a year or two's time.

[00:33:19]And >> you're also being a good an outsider, aren't you? You are a maverick.

[00:33:24]>> Where does that sense come from?

[00:33:27]>> Devilment.

[00:33:29]Devilment. And being a very firm individualist.

[00:33:33]very firm individualist. But look, I felt the entire political class had got this big project wrong.

[00:33:44]And so I said the hell with it. There was a professor called Alan Sced who ran a thing called the Anti-Federalist League, a campaigning group that did stand for the odd election. And a few of us got involved and I was there at the launch of UK. But in fact, I was the first ever candidate adopted by the party. I stood in the East Bay election back in 1994. I got 952 votes. I think I met every single one of them um over the course of the campaign. And it was funny because logic said I shouldn't do it.

[00:34:15]>> Why?

[00:34:16]>> Because in 93 I decided that the corporate life wasn't for me. Working for big companies wasn't for me. I wanted to be my own boss.

[00:34:24]>> The outsider again.

[00:34:25]>> I'd set up Farage Futures. Um, I was doing my own thing. I think I had the chance to make a lot of money, frankly. But suddenly I couldn't have been in politics working for a big corporate company.

[00:34:40]But I also couldn't make a fortune doing politics whilst running a business in the city. But I I don't know why I how I kept everyone, my family, my friends, my business colleagues said, "You're mad.

[00:34:53]You're mad. you know, if you want to be in politics, join Mtoria party or the Labour Party because that's all there is. But I just thought, no, I thought there there is a principle at stake here. I'm going to stand for election. I don't even care if no one votes for me.

[00:35:06]I would better myself about doing it.

[00:35:08]That was how strongly I felt on the issue. And and and that was the beginning of a very long journey. Let's come to the next track which was if I'm right you you'd recovered from that car accident you'd recovered from cancer and you went for a track with an interesting band title Europe at the final countdown and the reason I chose it is because that was the walk-on music that I had every night as I toured the country in the runup to the European elections of 2014. the referendum that we had in 2016. That was the music that I walked through the crowd to every single evening. In fact, I heard the song so many times that I'd lie in bed at night and it would still be sort of echoing in my ears. So, yeah, again, perhaps not a choice you'd expect, but it reminds me of those years, those long years that led up to us actually having a referendum. It's the final countdown.

[00:36:06]>> Nigel Farage, I referenced the fact that you were shortlisted for Time magazine of the year the year of the Brexit referendum. Um, we look back on Brexit now. I can hit you with a barrage of figures. 90 billion pounds lost from the economy, 8% loss from GDP. Are you ready to accept that Brexit was a failure?

[00:36:23]>> No, we're not living in caves, are we? I mean, that's what George Osborne told us, the chancellor back at the time.

[00:36:28]Look, it was a political constitutional choice to take back the ability to control our borders and run our own country. And the tragedy almost exactly 10 years on is the Conservative Party who'd opposed it all the way through, then belatedly adopted it, won a general election off the back of it, and then steadfastly refused to implement it. And that is a big disappointment. But is it the right thing to have done? I have no doubt.

[00:37:01]>> Prior to that, you celebrate your half century as an MEP, reelected as an MEP.

[00:37:06]You kept topping the European Parliament elections.

[00:37:09]>> Oh, how good was that?

[00:37:10]>> You tell me.

[00:37:11]>> How good was that? That was the first party that had won a national election that wasn't Labor or Conservative since since 1906. That was an amazing moment.

[00:37:21]And don't forget, by then I'd been in the European Parliament 15 years. I mean, talk about patience, talk about resilience. I just kept going year after year after year because I believed in it that much.

[00:37:34]>> There's one more piece of music to come.

[00:37:35]Selected by Nigel Farage in a moment.

[00:37:37]You're listening to Farage on the Record on LBC. Let's move on from Brexit and you leave the European Parliament. I have to remind you, I want to ask you your memories of some of your colleagues. You once said of Herman von Rompo, "He has the charisma of a damp rag and the appearance of a low-grade bank cler." As you left, you said you're not laughing now. Your memories of Jean Claude Junka, Ga Hofstat, Michelle Barier, good bloss.

[00:38:00]>> I mean, I tell you what, I tell you what. I mean, Vhoff was just a fanatic and and hated me, but of course learned if you attack Farage, you'll get big views on YouTube. So, I became quite useful to him as time went on. Junka, he was funny. I I'll tell you a funny story. It's the Brexit referendums happened. The results come through on Friday morning. There's an emergency session of the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday. I get the Euro Star over with bodyguards and at 3:00 it's due to begin. I thought, well, I'll time this perfectly.

[00:38:35]So, I got there at about 2 minutes to three to make my modest way >> down to my front row seat. And already in the well of the parliament was Junka and they used to allow photographers and cameras in before the session began. So, there's Junker waiting for me and I walk down. It's the shot they all want. It's, "Hello, Jean Claude." And he sort of hugs me. And he whispers in my ear, "You bastard."

[00:38:59]So, of course, the picture is the two of us having a laugh. Look, you know what?

[00:39:04]You can disagree with people politically, but like them as human beings. And this is actually a very important point. We're now getting to a polarized position where we hate someone because they've got different opinions rather than respecting their right in a free society to have them.

[00:39:20]>> You leave you kept saying, "I want my life back."

[00:39:23]>> Yep.

[00:39:23]>> Few years ago you left reform, although they dragged you back because you were retiring from politics again. Will you retire again? Do you want to be prime minister?

[00:39:31]>> I keep trying to run away.

[00:39:33]>> It's like the godfather, isn't it? They keep dragging me back in.

[00:39:36]>> Do you want to be prime minister? Do >> you know something, Nick?

[00:39:40]Not for the sake of the office or the title because I couldn't give a damn about that. Never been interested in that. For me, politics is not about is is it's it's not about what I become in terms of a personal status. It's about what I can do. Right now, I believe I'm the only person that's got sufficient public report and the courage to take on the establishment and do what needs to be done. Right now I'm the right person. May well be in a couple of years time or more somebody else comes along who's better equipped. Right now I do believe it's me.

[00:40:15]>> So you could be the prime minister.

[00:40:19]>> Yes.

[00:40:20]>> What would be the first few policies Mr. Farage?

[00:40:23]>> We've got to restore trust in the fact that voting actually counts for anything. Otherwise things like riots and public disorder will become more commonplace. Voting is voting is our safety valve.

[00:40:39]That's our way of expressing our opinion without fighting.

[00:40:43]So I do actually believe getting rid of the Human Rights Act, getting back proper control of our borders, reestablishing trust that the voters get what they actually opt for in an election is the first thing to do.

[00:40:56]>> You rightly reference you you try and get away and they keep dragging you back, but that does allow you some time for some travels and you go to the United States and you form a close friendship with now President Donald Trump. Yeah.

[00:41:05]>> How would you sum him up in a sentence?

[00:41:08]>> Oh, just an extraordinary human being. I mean, he is I mean, talk about resilience.

[00:41:12]They've tried to assassinate him time after time. He's a remarkable human being. And you can love him, you can hate him.

[00:41:19]>> Is he positive for the world, Nigel?

[00:41:21]>> Oh, I think he's helping reshape the world.

[00:41:23]>> Is that in a positive fashion?

[00:41:25]>> I believe that it is.

[00:41:26]>> With the conflict in Iran, >> I'd love to see the end of the Iranian regime. They're ghastly. Absolutely ghastly. He may not succeed in it. He may not succeed in it. Uh but is it was it the right thing to attempt? Yes.

[00:41:42]>> You spent the American election night at they called it the watch at Mara Lago.

[00:41:47]What can you share from that?

[00:41:49]>> It was a real honor to be in the room >> sitting alongside the man who was to be president.

[00:41:52]>> It was a remarkable evening. It was so great to be there and I I was honored to be in the room as the results came through to see him and he gave a big victory speech at I don't know what time it was 4:00 or 5 in the morning and then the next day at midday I popped into the courtyard and there he was just won the presidential election barely been to bed he'd been out and played nine holes of golf he was in the golfing kit and he was having a light lunch with Elon Musk. And so I sat down between the two of them and I just thought, "What on earth am I doing here?" You know what?

[00:42:33]Why me a Brit? What advice has he given you about possibly being PM?

[00:42:39]>> I'll tell you.

[00:42:41]I'll tell you.

[00:42:44]Have fun doing it. And what an amazing thought that is for all of us in all of our lives. Because if you choose public office, you will necessarily, especially in a modern social media world, receive an awful lot of hate, as will your loved ones that are close to you, around you.

[00:43:06]But have fun doing it is his advice.

[00:43:08]It's very good.

[00:43:09]>> Is your partner on side? You being >> Yeah. I mean, she's obviously It's not easy.

[00:43:13]>> No.

[00:43:14]>> I mean, some of it drives us bonkers.

[00:43:15]And the object of the media now is to make sure that nobody with any personality, any history, any background or any any assets or any business sense ever goes into politics. Some of it's a bit wearing.

[00:43:30]It is a bit wearing, but you know what?

[00:43:32]We get through it.

[00:43:32]>> I want to come to your favorites. A final question for Donald Trump. How does he view the UK currently? Nigel, >> he's depressed about it, sad about it.

[00:43:39]He loves the UK. Uh he's very much his mother's son. the Scottish bit in him is very very he loves Scotland. He talks about it all the time because he adored the queen as you well know. Um it it's so interesting so many Americans still view us as the mother country and they're very upset to see the way it's going. In a moment we're going to ask you for your best dinner party guests and your favorite book and your favorite film. But let's have your final choice of music which was an interesting choice when I saw your list come through. Nigel Farage, >> it was a moment. So, the toughest decision of my political life was to come back again, which happened on the 3rd of June 2024.

[00:44:21]I've been out of politics for 3 years. I was enjoying life. I'd been part helping get GB News off the ground, which I love doing. Um, I was going to America. I'd set some business things up. I'd bought some property. I'm doing a variety of things. Uh, and life was good. And I just turned 60. first two grandsons born. I mean, life was great and I decided to throw it all away and to come back into politics because I'm so depressed about the state of the country. And as I'm heading up to Clton in the car with my assistant Dan, who's been by my side for 12 years, he suddenly brilliantly said, "Well, it's Eminem. It's Guess Who's Back." So we So I'm sitting in the back of the car and he plays the track and he films me on an iPhone and it's Guess Who's back? Back again. And it just took off. It was absolutely crazy. And I have to have to have that record because it reminds me of that day of coming back in into the political fray. And who' have believed two years on that from that moment we've led the last 350 opinion polls in a row.

[00:45:38]Um, you mentioned Clton. To those who say you're in America, you're on the road, you're recording videos, you're doing all of this, you're never in Clton. How would you respond, Nigel Farage? Utter rot. I mean, after I leave you now, I'll be there for the next three nights. I've got all sorts of visits all over the constituency. I'll be laying a wreath on Sunday morning in a commemoration event. Um, look, I pack in to a day in the constituency more than most MPs would in a month.

[00:46:11]>> And are you seen in the House of Commons enough, Nigel Far?

[00:46:13]>> No.

[00:46:14]>> Why?

[00:46:15]>> Because I'm leading a national political party. I'm the CEO of this organization.

[00:46:21]I am building structure departments and I spent nine weeks on the road in the run-up to the local elections this year. Nine weeks on the road. and my voters want me to represent them, but they also want me to win the next general election.

[00:46:35]>> And you think the people of Clton are prepared to do that?

[00:46:37]>> They want me to win the next general election. And I'm not going to do that sitting in the House of Commons all day.

[00:46:43]>> Let's rattle through the last few questions so we get a sense a little bit of the man. Um, if I could only give you one book for the rest of your life, what book would you choose? I had thought about Hemingway's old man of a sea, but no, it's actually PG Woodhouse.

[00:47:00]And the reason is if you read Woodhouse and you get into Woodhouse, you're suddenly lost to the world. You become totally absorbed by this extraordinary place that Woodhouse takes you to. So, that would be my choice.

[00:47:15]Who's your favorite politician you're not allowed reform UK? A politician that you would want to be trapped in a lift with.

[00:47:22]Gosh, what? Right. What? Contemporary.

[00:47:24]>> Yeah.

[00:47:26]>> I'll give you one living one day.

[00:47:28]>> Well, I mean, I think that um in in in Europe, it'll be Georgia Maloney who was brought stability to Italian politics. Who ever would have believed that was even possible? So, I've got huge respect for what she's done. Historically, trapped in a lift with >> Yeah, >> that's very difficult. But I think um I think >> Enoch Pal you admired him at school back in >> No, it wouldn't be Enoch Pal. I don't think but it might be it might be and he was not really Apollo but he was a bit uh Jackie Fischer Admiral Jackie Fischer the man who famously quipped if you pick a fight with a chimney sweep you get covered in soot. I think he'd be actually him and a lift for a few hours would be quite interesting.

[00:48:12]>> And which we've been through the six decades of your life. Which decade of your life would you want to relive?

[00:48:19]>> Oh, the 80s.

[00:48:21]>> Why?

[00:48:23]>> Because for most of it, I was young, single, earning money, >> struck by a car, >> having Yeah. But having buckets, >> cancer, >> but yeah, but I forget all my my mind remembers the good bits. And then of course later on, end of a decade, I start having a family and moving on from there. And I've now got four adult children, three grandchildren. My parents are still alive. There's four generations of us. I don't talk about this stuff in public or use their names, but you know what? At Christmas last year, it's pretty good.

[00:48:58]>> Do you regret what you've put them through?

[00:49:01]>> Sometimes.

[00:49:03]>> You've been on the record, Naj Faraj.

[00:49:05]Thanks very much.

[00:49:06]>> Thank you.