Nigel Farage says Brexit will not take money at Arron Banks | Policy

Nigel Farage said he hoped his new Brexit party would be largely funded by small donations and would not take any money from Arron Banks, the millionaire who funded Ukip.

Speaking before the party's launch Friday, former Ukip executive said: "During the first 10 days of Brexit, we raised £ 750,000 in online donations, all up to less than £ 500. In 25 years of British politics, I have never seen anything like it. And we did it before we even started it. "

He added, "We did not ask Arron Banks for any money; he is not going to give money. It has been very badly burned by events since the referendum, however outrageous it is, "he said, citing questions about the source of the £ 8 million that Banks paid for the Brexit campaign. .

Speaking on the Today show, Farage criticized his former party colleagues, saying that there was "no difference between the Brexit party and Ukip in terms of politics," he said. terms of staff, there is a big difference, "and that Ukip has" allowed the far right to join him and take him back effectively, and I'm afraid the mark does not be tarnished now ".

Trying to state a more moderate leave mark, he said the Brexit party "will be deeply intolerant of any intolerance – we are not the Labor Party, we have not had 800 case of antisemitism ".

However, in a hurry that Brexit CEO Catherine Blaiklock was to resign following a series of Islamophobic tweets, Farage acknowledged "youth problems" in the early days of the movement.

"I organized the party, she was the administrator who set it up. We have had some youth problems, yes, but will we be deeply intolerant with regard to all forms of intolerance? Yes."

Farage claimed that the party "did not even discuss Islam" and said "we were definitely expecting Muslim candidates. You will be surprised by the number of people we have presented to the British public. "

He declined to say whether the party would exceed the 27% of Ukip in the 2014 ballot, saying only that "I think we'll be fine."

"We will be targeting the millions of people who voted for Ukip and the many millions who voted for Conservatives and Brexit, as well as the 5 million people who voted for Brexit and voted for Labor. We will seek support from all levels. "

Nick Lowles, general manager of the Hope Not Hate Defense Group, responded to the interview by stating, "This campaign will focus on Stephen Lennon (right-wing activist, Toomy Robinson), and on the shutdown of 39, Ukip – a party now unambiguously the far right – to win seats. But given Farage's history of inflammatory and controversial comments, we will watch him very closely.

"If the racist comments of the Brexit leaders are discovered and they are not fired, we will act. If the Brexit party adopts a program of Islamophobia, we will act. If Farage or other candidates engage in the kind of racist politics we have seen in the past, we will act.

"Our message is clear: we are watching Brexit and Nigel Farage very closely."