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General election - live: Nigel Farage faces grilling from Andrew Neil after four Brexit Party MEPs defect to Tories

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage appears on the BBC's The Andrew Neil Interviews, 5 December, 2019: BBC
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage appears on the BBC's The Andrew Neil Interviews, 5 December, 2019: BBC

Boris Johnson has promised to cut taxes in a “post-Brexit budget” within weeks of the UK leaving the EU. But the plan – based on an existing pledge to raise the threshold for national insurance contributions – was branded as “pure fantasy” and the PM accused of lying.

It comes as Conservative officials are said to be concerned about evidence of a narrowing poll lead over Labour. Appearing on This Morning, Mr Johnson likened Labour's leaked, NHS-related government trade documents to “UFO photos”.

Sajid Javid has claimed Mr Johnson could secure a complex trade deal with the EU “within months”. EU documents leaked to The Independent show leaders in Brussels will issue an election result-day warning to Mr Johnson about the “limited” time to avoid a no-deal Brexit.

Meanwhile, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage was grilled by the BBC's Andrew Neil, who issued a challenge to the prime minister, who has dodged appearing on his programme, telling him he has an interview "oven-ready".