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Nigel Farage predicts a Ukip victory in European elections Nigel Farage predicts a Ukip victory in European elections
(about 2 hours later)
Nigel Farage has predicted Ukip will win this week's European elections and may hold the balance of power in 2015.Nigel Farage has predicted Ukip will win this week's European elections and may hold the balance of power in 2015.
Talking up the party's prospects, the Ukip leader said he would not be sunk by accusations that some candidates have made racist remarks and his own suggestion that people would be worried about living on a street with Romanian families. Talking up the party's prospects, the Ukip leader said he would not be sunk by accusations that some candidates had made racist remarks and his own suggestion that people would be worried about living on a street with Romanian families.
"We all make mistakes in life and things don't always go according to plan and of course we've been in the lead and we've never been in that position before," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "We hit the front three weeks ago and when you're out in front and everybody's firing every missile they've got at you, yeah, sometimes a few cracks begin to show. "We all make mistakes in life and things don't always go according to plan and of course we've been in the lead and we've never been in that position before," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "We hit the front three weeks ago and when you're out in front and everybody's firing every missile they've got at you, yeah, sometimes a few cracks begin to show.
"But what hasn't changed and what hasn't broken is what we stand for and the fact we're connecting with the British public.""But what hasn't changed and what hasn't broken is what we stand for and the fact we're connecting with the British public."
Farage repeated his willingness to do "a deal with the devil" or make local pacts with MPs from other parties if it would help get a referendum on Europe.Farage repeated his willingness to do "a deal with the devil" or make local pacts with MPs from other parties if it would help get a referendum on Europe.
He also said the idea of winning the 2015 election was "entirely ridiculous, moonshine" but it could hope to emulate the success of the Lib Dems under Lord Ashdown. "Who knows, we may get the balance of power if we get that right, and if we do there will be a referendum, whoever's in government," he said He also said the idea of winning the 2015 election was "entirely ridiculous, moonshine" but it could hope to emulate the success of the Lib Dems under Lord Ashdown. "Who knows, we may get the balance of power if we get that right, and if we do there will be a referendum, whoever's in government," he said.
He made the predictions after polling showed Tory and Labour attacks on Ukip over allegations of racism appear to have backfired by consolidating the party's support.He made the predictions after polling showed Tory and Labour attacks on Ukip over allegations of racism appear to have backfired by consolidating the party's support.
Farage brushed off his failure to appear at a diversity street carnival in Croydon, organised to show Ukip embracing ethnic minority candidates, which descended into rows and farce.Farage brushed off his failure to appear at a diversity street carnival in Croydon, organised to show Ukip embracing ethnic minority candidates, which descended into rows and farce.
He said he had never definitely intended to attend the event, where two black members of a hired steel band said they were uncomfortable about playing and a Ukip Croydon council candidate described the town as a dump.He said he had never definitely intended to attend the event, where two black members of a hired steel band said they were uncomfortable about playing and a Ukip Croydon council candidate described the town as a dump.
Speaking on the BBC and ITV in a round of broadcast interviews, Farage claimed his party was getting "more black and ethnic minority voters [who] are going to turn out and vote Ukip tomorrow than the Lib Dems and Tories added up together".Speaking on the BBC and ITV in a round of broadcast interviews, Farage claimed his party was getting "more black and ethnic minority voters [who] are going to turn out and vote Ukip tomorrow than the Lib Dems and Tories added up together".
He also argued that tabloid newspapers were more responsible for "whipping up" prejudice against Romanians and Bulgarians than Ukip, claiming his warnings about criminal gangs from these countries were based on fact.He also argued that tabloid newspapers were more responsible for "whipping up" prejudice against Romanians and Bulgarians than Ukip, claiming his warnings about criminal gangs from these countries were based on fact.
"I am suggesting there has been a hysteria whipped up by the press, sparked by things written in the Sun and the Daily Mail and the other newspapers who ran screaming double-page spreads 'these people are coming here to steal from you'. I haven't whipped up any of that," he said."I am suggesting there has been a hysteria whipped up by the press, sparked by things written in the Sun and the Daily Mail and the other newspapers who ran screaming double-page spreads 'these people are coming here to steal from you'. I haven't whipped up any of that," he said.