Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage leaves LBC with immediate effect, radio station announces

Nigel Farage has left LBC, the radio station has announced.

It said in a statement on Thursday: “Nigel Farage’s contract with LBC is up very shortly and, following discussions with him, Nigel is stepping down from LBC with immediate effect.

“We thank Nigel for the enormous contribution he has made to LBC and wish him well.”

The controversial Brexit Party leader, whose previous show was broadcast as recently as Wednesday night, was the station’s highest-profile presenter.

Farage, who presented five shows a week on LBC and interviewed the likes of Donald Trump, has yet to comment on his departure.

Fellow host James O'Brien, while not mentioning Farage's name, tweeted: "We got our station back."

Global, the owner of LBC, was criticised this week for posting in support of the Black Lives Matter movement while continuing to employ Farage.

Largely peaceful anti-racism protests have been sparked by the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last month.

Following Sunday’s protests in the UK – which saw some clashes between demonstrators and police in London and the removal of a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol – Farage had said: “A new form of the Taliban was born in the UK today.”

Another LBC presenter, Nick Ferrari, was condemned earlier this week following an appearance on Sky News show The Pledge.

Black panellist Afua Hirsch had questioned “problematic figures we continue to glorify” in statue form across the UK.

Ferrari, who presents LBC’s breakfast show, asked her: "Why do you stay in this country?"

Shadow justice secretary David Lammy said of Ferrari’s remarks: “I can’t believe I am watching this in 2020. Let alone this week of all weeks.”

Global was also criticised by two of its own presenters for its response to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Yinka Bokinni and Shayna Marie Birch-Campbell – breakfast show hosts for Capital Xtra, the UK’s biggest black music radio station – said they were “embarrassed” by Global’s statements responding to the protests.

The Guardian reported a Global source as saying there is a “lack of genuine commitment to diversity” at the company.

Global has said: “We need to improve, and pledge to make a sustained effort to evolve for the better.” Its statement on Monday read:

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