This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/14/nigel-farage-says-he-is-unlikely-to-vote-for-any-party-in-election
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Nigel Farage says he is unlikely to vote for any party in election | Nigel Farage says he is unlikely to vote for any party in election |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Brexit party leader backtracks after previously suggesting he might vote for Conservatives | Brexit party leader backtracks after previously suggesting he might vote for Conservatives |
| Nigel Farage has said he is unlikely to vote for any political party at the general election after removing the Brexit party candidate from his constituency. | Nigel Farage has said he is unlikely to vote for any political party at the general election after removing the Brexit party candidate from his constituency. |
| The Brexit party leader, who lives in a Tory-held seat in Kent, said it was the first time he would not vote for a party since 1992, when he spoiled his ballot paper. | The Brexit party leader, who lives in a Tory-held seat in Kent, said it was the first time he would not vote for a party since 1992, when he spoiled his ballot paper. |
| His decision to pull his candidates in 317 Conservative-held seats to avoid splitting the leave vote at the 12 December election has perversely meant he is unable to vote for his own party, which he founded this year. | His decision to pull his candidates in 317 Conservative-held seats to avoid splitting the leave vote at the 12 December election has perversely meant he is unable to vote for his own party, which he founded this year. |
| This decision comes after he sparked confusion on Wednesday when he suggested during an election tour in Ilford, east London, that he might vote Conservative depending on what was included in their manifesto. | This decision comes after he sparked confusion on Wednesday when he suggested during an election tour in Ilford, east London, that he might vote Conservative depending on what was included in their manifesto. |
| He clarified with a tweet later on that he had ruled out voting for Boris Johnson’s party. | He clarified with a tweet later on that he had ruled out voting for Boris Johnson’s party. |
| On Thursday, during his campaigning tour in Grimsby, he suggested he would avoid going to the ballot box altogether. “I very much doubt I’ll vote. It’s this very narrow party interest that’s all they care about,” he said, referring to the Tories. | On Thursday, during his campaigning tour in Grimsby, he suggested he would avoid going to the ballot box altogether. “I very much doubt I’ll vote. It’s this very narrow party interest that’s all they care about,” he said, referring to the Tories. |
| “I spoiled a paper in 1992 because I couldn’t vote for John Major – I couldn’t do it. ERM [European exchange rate mechanism], probably going to join the euro … I couldn’t vote then. So my last Conservative vote was 1987.” | “I spoiled a paper in 1992 because I couldn’t vote for John Major – I couldn’t do it. ERM [European exchange rate mechanism], probably going to join the euro … I couldn’t vote then. So my last Conservative vote was 1987.” |
| Speaking at a Brexit party rally in Hull earlier on Thursday, Farage said his party’s candidates were suffering appalling abuse at the hands of the Tory campaign but he would defy the pressure and not withdraw from any more seats. | Speaking at a Brexit party rally in Hull earlier on Thursday, Farage said his party’s candidates were suffering appalling abuse at the hands of the Tory campaign but he would defy the pressure and not withdraw from any more seats. |
| He said: “Far from being grateful, you’ve seen wall-to-wall abuse coming from the Conservative party. The refusal on their part to give an inch in terms of cooperation and what is going on today, what is going on right now is nothing short of disgraceful. | He said: “Far from being grateful, you’ve seen wall-to-wall abuse coming from the Conservative party. The refusal on their part to give an inch in terms of cooperation and what is going on today, what is going on right now is nothing short of disgraceful. |
| “There is a full-scale attempt going on as I speak to stop men and women freely putting themselves up before the UK electorate. You would have thought this was Venezuela – even before Jeremy Corbyn got in. | “There is a full-scale attempt going on as I speak to stop men and women freely putting themselves up before the UK electorate. You would have thought this was Venezuela – even before Jeremy Corbyn got in. |
| “That is what is happening. Our people, men and women much like these on the platform here who put themselves forward are now coming under relentless phone calls, emails and abuse and being told they must stand down. That is happening in 21st-century Britain. I think that is a complete and utter disgrace.” | “That is what is happening. Our people, men and women much like these on the platform here who put themselves forward are now coming under relentless phone calls, emails and abuse and being told they must stand down. That is happening in 21st-century Britain. I think that is a complete and utter disgrace.” |
| Farage spoke to party supporters at Hull Ionians rugby club near Brough, which is within Haltemprice and Howden, the constituency where the Conservative politician David Davis is seeking re-election. | |
| Farage used the rally to introduce the three Brexit party candidates for Hull, including a former winner of BBC One’s The Apprentice, Michelle Dewberry, who will contest Hull West & Hessle, where Labour secured a majority of 8,025 in 2017. |