Farage said he can’t control what promises his candidates make
Nigel Farage got irritated in another interview where he was quizzed about why Reform UK has failed to keep to its promise of not raising council tax.
Reform raised council tax in the 12 councils it now runs, despite pledging in the run up to last year’s local elections that it would “reduce waste and cut your taxes”.
Speaking with Sky News’ Beth Rigby, Farage tried to distance himself from local Reform candidates who promised to cut taxes, arguing: “When you put up thousands of candidates, individuals or groups may say different things.”
Rigby pressed Farage, saying that if voters see a promise to reduce council tax on a leaflet in North Northamptonshire, and that is reneged on, it means the party has failed to deliver.
The Reform leader responded by claiming that he had never seen the leaflet and that if he had, he would have “decayed it”.
Rigby then asked Farage if he needed to “tighten” Reform’s message.
He responded, saying: “I couldn’t tighten it any further.”
The Sky journalist said that the fact that Reform raised council tax despite pledging to cut it will mean “your opponents will say it makes you not credible, what do you say to that?”.
Farage gave an extraordinary response to the question, saying: “We’re not North Korea. I can’t control individuals and thousands of people what they say and if they’ve gone against me as leader.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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