Which safe Tory seat was offered to Farage?

There is a long flattering piece on Farage, almost a puff, in Saturday's DT TV programme supplement written by one Nigel Farndale. It exhibits the usual Farage traits of self flattering claims for which the only evidence adduced is the word of Nigel Farage. As I have written before I fell out with NF, day one item one at my first NEC meeting when I asked to see what evidence he had to substantiate one his ridiculous statements. I was of course immediately attacked by Denny et al for doubting the word of our great leader. Well looking at the evidence before voting is a prime requirement of any NEC member in my book.

I fear Mr Farndale may not have been so meticulous. He reports the oft told Farage tale that he was once offered a safe Tory seat. I would be eternally grateful if anyone can name this constituency and produce a statement from any member of the constituency committee to support Farage's claim. Its the question Mr Farndale should have asked.

Mr Farndale then goes on to state NF, went into the City to 'make his fortune' in 20 years commodity trading. Does anyone know how much money NF made in the City? I have known a few successful commodity traders and after 20 years or so they generally had villas on the Algarve, a large country house plus a slick London flat and usually a yacht in the Med. I remember the story told by Fred Shwed in his book on Wall Street entitled, " Where are the customers yachts?" The title refers to a story about a visitor to New York who admired the yachts of the bankers and brokers. Naively, he asked where all the customers’ yachts were? Of course, none of the brokers customers could afford yachts.

So where is your yacht Mr Farage? How much money have you given to UKIP in the last 10 years?

The Farage quote, ' When I was in the City I always thought the next trade would be the big one' is not the mind set of a successful trader or yacht owner but it was the mindset of Mr Micawber always waiting for something to turn up.

Then there is the reported claim that NF gets on OK with David, aka Dave, Cameron. We joined parliament at the same time says Farage. Really Mr Farndale, as Nigel Molesworth would say, any fule do kno Farage has never been elected to Parliament! But Mr Farage does hope for preferment to the red leather one day possibly from Dave.

There is the trademark smear attacks on former UKIP members, founder Alan Sked and Kilroy Silk who was crucial in UKIP's breakthrough in the 2004 European elections.

Farage will carry on giving the media a good laugh attacking Rumpy and Frumpy but not advancing the UKIP cause one iota. It is nevertheless disappointing to find such unquestioning acceptance of unsupported statements by a journalist writing for a serious newspaper. A good job Andrew Neil is not his editor.