‘Nigel Farage Is Trying To SAVE The Country’ | ‘They Don’t Want Him To Succeed'

Let's talk Nigel Farage, there's a couple of other things as well, but we have to talk about a story that is on the front of many papers this morning.Farage says this is a hit job, I've done nothing wrong.Now, we have to be very honest, you and I. I've done some work for reform and will continue to do some work for reform.You're about to marry the deputy leader of reform, but we are also broadcasters who have to look at things dispassionately.I want to play you, if I can.I don't know if you heard it, but I'm going to play you because I thought it was brilliant.

I had Poppy Coburn in earlier and this was her take on it, Isabel.Have a listen.

Let's not forget, this Labour government began with Lord Alley's donation scandal, where a man who was donating directly to politically affected officials was allowed to pick the selection of Labour MPs, who had great influence over the direction of the party.So he literally paid, I'm sorry it seems like it, he paid and then he got influence.So let's put that on the table.Leaving aside even the Peter Mandelson job, where again, another Seriously unsavoury individual who actually had great political influence and was best friends with a paedophile.So there's Labour.They are turning around and now saying, Nigel Farage, look at him, look how dirty he is, look how dirty his party is.

This is someone who's given up 25 years of his life to fight against the establishment who has got more death threats than any other politician.You don't hear that in the news, seriously.If he has taken this money before he was an MP from someone where there is no suggestion whatsoever that he's changed his opinion, Nigel Farage has been completely consistent politically for 25 years as long as I've been alive.He's known this person, a friend of his, for a very long time.This is not cash for questions, this is not cash for access.This is someone basically saying you're a friend and I need to support you because the state isn't stepping in and you're getting death threats.

He can do with that money as he pleases, frankly.One of the stories that the Times is breaking as exclusive this weekend, that the BBC is running on as exclusive breaking news, is already out there.We've known this for years.Why is it coming up now?Why is it being repackaged now?as breaking news?

Isabel, that was Poppy Coburn from The Telegraph.I think, eruditely putting it perfectly, where do you stand on this situation with Nigel Farage?

Do you know what?I am so sick of this.What is Nigel trying to do?He is trying to save the country.Every day I speak, and I'm sure you do too Jezza, you do multiple times on your show, we speak to people who are utterly exasperated with the state of our country and they are desperate for someone like Nigel to fix things.They've had years of the Conservatives, the Conservatives had 14 years and they left the country a total mess.

We've now got Labour and we've got a new Prime Minister coming in who is using all the wrong language about what he plans to do.No talk whatsoever of tackling illegal immigration, stopping the boats, making things better for people.He's just harping on about, you know, there being room, wriggle room to tax better off people yet more.So people are, honestly, people are absolutely on their hands and knees wanting a political solution for our country.And what's coming at Nigel Farage, the one person that so many millions of people believe could actually change the course of our country, what's coming at him is just an absolutely relentless onslaught.Now, let me tell you, Jeremy, with my sort of reform hat on, because as you say, my partner is the deputy leader of the party.

I'm not impartial on this one.We expected this.We knew that the establishment would throw everything at us.What's taken us by surprise is the timing of this.Why is ithappening now?

We thought that it would probably come a bit later in the political cycle, but it is a mark of the desperation of Andy Burnham and his outriders and the Labour lot that they're doing this now because they are trying to kill off Nigel as this new prime minister comes in.The journalist behind these so -called revelations, Gabriel Pogron, he's a highly respected journalist.I'm not going to take anything away from that.He works for the Sunday Times.It's a great newspaper.They've got a fantastic investigations team.

But this is a journalist who has publicly said, and I quote, I despise the man.He despises Nigel Farage.And what he cooked up over the weekend was just a whole bunch of stuff that I don't think has been any secret to anybody.Everybody knows who's interested in this stuff, that George Cottrell spent time in a US jail a very, very long time ago.He spent a few months behind bars.That's a big deal.

I know it's interesting, but it was years ago.And he's been around Nigel ever since.And I know George and I cannot think of anyone less self -motivated by trying to change some piece of legislation or crypto law for himself.George doesn't need any help from anyone.He doesn't need anyone else's money.He doesn't need policy changes.

Like Nigel, he truly believes that our country is heading for the buffers and he will do whatever he can to help change that and if that means supporting Nigel by offering him the odd night sleepover in an empty flat well so damn what honestly?

Well this is this is my point right so I'vethis to anybody and everybody, very Trump -like this, because what is going to happen is, let's just say, and Steve Baker said earlier, I think he will be found guilty by the Standards Committee and there will be a recall election in Clacton.And this is me now speaking.If that happens, I have absolutely no doubt that it will do even more to solidify Nigel Farage's support in Clacton and solidify still further.Because one of the biggest problems that the political establishment have with reform, and you're right, is the status quo is about to be crushed whether that's next week or in three years time because here's what's going to happen the silent majority who refuse to be lectured by people anymore they don't actually in my humble opinion give a toss if people are flawed they want their country to be better and we have been fed a succession of politicians who pretend to be something they're not.I don't know the ins and outs of whatever money or whatever favour.

I don't.I know one thing, and Poppy's right.There is only one person who has consistently said things that many of us have only picked up on in the last five, six, seven, eight years, but this man's been saying this for 25 years.If I was advising Nigel, Would I tell him to be on the front foot more?Absolutely.Trump was accused of every conceivable crime and he came out and he won a majority.

Would I stand in front of my people if I was Nigel and say,there might be this, there might be that?But you know what I'm interested in?Stopping the boats, dealing with knife crime, having a bloody National Grooming Gangs Inquiry, all those things that people who support reform believe in.I don't know, maybe he needs to look at his top team, maybe he needs to distance himself from George Control, maybe he just needs to ignore it.But Nigel Farage is is the person that millions of people in this country believe can bring them the change they want.

And I think some in the media, and some at the BBC, want to be very careful what they wish for.Because it happened in America, and I can see it happening here.This morning, two people have said, oof, is the rest of them.Thousands of the rest of them have gone, do one.That's just the establishment.We know what we want.

So it's interesting, right?

Oh, it's more than interesting, Jeremy.I mean, there are things that I know that will come out in due course that would make your hair stand on end about the level to which this kill Nigel operation, metaphoric kill Nigel operation, goes.It is truly, truly disturbing.And what exactly are they trying to prove here?You know, we all know that Nigel Farage is not a standard issue politician that has spent his years carefully, carefully navigating, just not causing quite enough offense, appealing to the right people, calculating what's best for his career.That's not him.

He's an instinct politician who is happy to have different characters around him, personalities, people who've taken a few risks in life, people that have built businesses, This is not a smooth, professional, coolly calculated kind of old political party.This is a disruptor that we're talking about here.And why?Not just for the sake ofcreating disruption, but because our country needs it.We need somebody who's going to do things differently, take some risks, be a little bit more colourful.

And the establishment just cannot handle it.

Let me ask you some direct questions from your point of view.What does Nigel Farage do with his top team now?And does he have to distance himself from George Cottrell?

No, he doesn't have to distance himself from George Cottrell because nothing has changed.Everybody knows George's background.I happen to believe, and I think millions of good British people believe the same, that people deserve a second chance.His history is history.It's just that.It was a very long time ago.

He was a very young man. I was peripherally around George Cottrell at that time.In fact, I was on the very same plane as he was when he was met off the plane by law enforcement in the US.So I know that story inside out.He is a very, very different character today to the young man that he was then.And he has done so much for the Reform Party.Arguably, Nigel would not be where he is today without the support of amazing, loyal friends like that.

So what does Nigel need to do?Well, you yourself touched on it.He needs to face all of this down boldly, you know, not to be blown off course by these noises off, to be the best version of himself and to talk about what people really care about.Absolutely.precisely how rich he is, I think we all know by now that he's done pretty well and I don't resent that.Many politicians, particularly in the Tory party,

are multi -multi -millionaires.Who cares?What matters is what they're going to do and what they're promising voters they will do to fix the country.And I know that Nigel's been overseas these last few days on political matters.I'm sure that when he comes back, and I don't know whether he's landed back yet, he will be full frontal on this and he will take up the fight.This is not somebody who is hiding away.

This is somebody who is damn busy and has been in the of reform supporters to descend from all over the UK to support Nigel and return him with an even bigger majority.

Couldn't agree more.One final question, and it's a really interesting story this because other people will just do it in a certain way, but I wanted to get as many sides as possible.Do you think knowing him, and I know him, he'll be concerned that he could lose some middle of the road voters who might, as I said before, think this is a bit dark?

Well, I mean, Nigel's not a fool.Of course, he's going to reflect on what impact this may have.Of course, he's going to do that.But I think, as you said, so many people will see it for what it is.You can't please everybody.And I think that that is the mistake that someone like Keir Starmer and other professional politicians have made.

You know, they think that they can please everybody trying to walk this tightrope.People are bored of politicians like that.They're bored of politicians that areapproach is driven by what the latest focus group says, by what the opinion polls says about their latest policy or whatever it is, whatever controversy they might be embroiled in.Nigel doesn't get too bothered by that.He has his views, he has his ideology and he just cracks on.

Keith in Nottingham, he says, morning Jez, morning Isabel, didn't the Tories and Labour try and actually stop the local elections for 5 million people because they were running scared of what Nigel and Reform were doing?Very interesting, yeah.Listen, it's a story that will go and go.I'm with you.I think he needs to come out on the front foot.I think he, I think the British people, the millions that I know that support Reform, They actually, they don't care.

I'm with you.That's not us either, Isabel or I, saying that if he's done something wrong he shouldn't face the music.But it's a concerted effort, we get that.Sweetheart, thank you so much indeed.You're in the Cotswolds now, are you?

Oh my God, it's so nice, Jeremy.Honestly, there's birds tweeting and hollyhocks outside.

Oh, they're not allowed to tweet, they'll be arrested.Sorry, it's a divisive thing.Lisa Nandy's leaving X now.By the way, one final thing, and this is quite funny, so I know sometimes you think I'm not funny.Have you seen the story about the Australian Prime Minister?

No, I like Australian politics, so what's that?

Anthony Albanese has been forced to apologise and is seeking redemption overnight because he did an Australian radio phone -in and they convinced him, I don't think he knows, to take part in a shag, marry or date competition whilst on air with three women from, presumably, that he knew or from the cabinet or from the government and Anthony Albanese is now in trouble.I just wonder what advice you'd give him from a PR point of view.

Well, I'd say, I mean, oh, my God, why is everyone so boring, you know?

Yes, only Anthony!You're gonna have the woman that he said he'd only date, what, she don't want to sleep with me?And the one that he wanted to sleep with, well, not serious enough, you don't want to marry me?Oh, just have a laugh, all of you, for God's sake, no?

Come on, come on.I know I've got myself all worked up today.I'm just so sick of this whole thing, and I know there's more to come because they just won't give up.But you know what, Jeremy?Nigel is going to fight back.He's going to face this down.

And you know, I just feel this story is going to end rather differently, rather differently to how his haters expect.

Brilliant.Listen, great to have you on, my darling.Say good morning to the best -looking MP in the Commons, the legend, and we'll see you very soon.Isabel Oakeshott talks international.