Advertisement

Farage Invites Corbyn To Join EU 'No' Campaign

Nigel Farage has appealed for Labour leadership frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn to join him in calling for Britain to leave the EU.

The UKIP leader made the suggestion as he kicked off his party's EU referendum campaign.

In an article in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Farage invited Mr Corbyn to share a platform with him at any of the events on his nationwide tour between now and the referendum, which is set to take place before the end of 2017.

Mr Farage said: "I would be delighted to hear him, as a genuinely radical voice on the Left, making his critique of the EU and why we shouldn't be scared of leaving.

"This has absolutely nothing to do with party politics, but is about the good of the nation and the people within it, so that we can forge ahead in the world with a Britain unconstrained by the EU's meddling agenda."

Later, in an LBC radio phone-in, Mr Farage said the impact of Mr Corbyn's candidacy showed the political Left were "waking up to what the EU is".

Mr Farage also restated his determination to play a key role in the national vote, dismissing claims he could harm the chances of a victory for the "No" campaign.

Research by the polling company Survation for the British Future think-tank has suggested Mr Farage's focus on immigration could turn away floating voters.

But Mr Farage said his name was not mentioned in the polling, and accused "soft Conservative Eurosceptics" of trying to damage him.

He said: "You have to understand there are certain people in Westminster who are not happy that I am launching this nationwide tour today."

"Some of the rather posher set.

"There are some sort of soft Conservative Eurosceptics who think they should be in charge of the campaign and they can manage it all from a few streets in Westminster.

"They have been trying since May to say 'Nigel is divisive and Nigel is this and Nigel is that' ... my name isn't even mentioned in the opinion poll.

"It was taken during the General Election at a moment when UKIP was being demonised and it is being dragged out to coincide with our launch."

When asked if he was a "Marmite" politician, Mr Farage replied: "I don't think that's right. I have got an opinion.

"Some people will agree with it and some people will disagree with it.

"At least they know what I stand for."

Mr Farage said he thought Mr Corbyn, a veteran left-wing MP who has stunned the political establishment with his rise from rank outsider to hot favourite in the Labour ballot , was similar to him because they both appealed to those outside the "Westminster village".

"Here is a bloke who stands up and says what he believes," Mr Farage said.

"I don't believe in very much of it.

"However, I noticed last night on that final debate held on Sky that when the EU question came up he was very critical.

"I think the Left of British politics is waking up to what the EU is.

Mr Farage added: "I hope Corbyn wins, because I think under him there will be a proper debate on the Left of British politics in this referendum on what the EU is."