Nigel farage

Who wants to work with who after the General Election? It’s a question that pundits like to chew over, partly because few politicians can afford to rule anything out with the polls suggesting quite such a jumbly outcome in May. But today two parties effectively ruled out a coalition with one another, even though they’re ideologically close. Grant Shapps was first, telling his press conference this morning that ‘I can rule out… we are not going to do pacts and deals with Ukip’. This afternoon, Ukip has released this statement: ‘UKIP are not promising pacts with anyone. For us politics is about getting something done, not about stitching up deals to get jobs for the boys. We think about you - not us.

Nigel Farage's secret is out. In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, the leader of Ukip let slip that he once voted for the Green Party. 'I voted Green in 1989 in the European elections,' Farage admits. While he fails to give any further explanation of why he supported a party that appears to be at loggerheads with his own views, Farage does go on to reveal the most insulting names he has been called. 'I was called a football hooligan once in public and I didn’t like that. I am many things but a hooligan I am not. I have been called everything this year, absolutely everything, racist, xenophobe – there’s a list as long as your arm,' he says.

First Cameron, then Miliband - now it was Nigel Farage's turn to be granted the status of a January interview on the Marr sofa. And there was plenty to discuss: the Sunday Times’ splashes on the story  that a party official joked that Ukip represents ‘hundreds of thousands of bigots all over Britain’, the Sunday Mirror’s splash on the same official saying the NHS is a waste of money — plus the Sunday Telegraph’s news of MEP Amjad Bashir’s defection to the Tories, and carries an interview with him saying the Tories (with their referendum pledge) are the true flag bearers of Euroscepticism.

When Simon Danczuk met Nigel Farage for a pint in December, the Labour MP was accused of plotting a defection to Ukip. While Danczuk denied this at the time, his wife Karen appears to be warming to the idea herself. Karen, who announced that she will stand down as a Labour Councillor from her Kingsway ward, got better acquainted with Ukip members at a recent debate on the NHS. Quick photo with @DanJukes17 & @jackduffin UKIPs finest. KD pic.twitter.com/GLlfwbBHy9 — Cllr Karen Danczuk (@KarenDanczuk) January 19, 2015 Now, Mr S hears rumours that a photo of the selfie queen actually wearing a Ukip badge is currently doing the rounds for the right bidder. If published, it wouldn't be the first time a photograph has got Karen into hot water.

One  reason that Ukip seems rather quiet at the moment is that it doesn’t have very much policy to talk about. And one reason for that is that there’s a row going on over the slow progress of the party’s manifesto. The Times today says Ukip has sacked Tim Aker from writing the manifesto - as Seb pointed out recently, he did have rather a lot to do, what with being a Ukip councillor, fighting for the party in a marginal seat and writing the manifesto - because he was running behind deadline. But one thing we can be certain of is that Ukip’s manifesto, when it does come out, will play super-safe on the NHS.

Although Nigel Farage referred to his new political rival Al Murray as the first 'serious opponent' he has encountered in South Thanet, not all of Ukip are amused that The Pub Landlord is running for the seat their leader is after. David Coburn, the Ukip MEP for Scotland, has got himself embroiled in a Twitter spat with the Oxbridge educated comedian, accusing him of 'mocking the voters of Thanet South'. @DavidCoburnUKip @Independent did I go to a better Uni than you? Ah well — Al Murray (@almurray) January 15, 2015 @DavidCoburnUKip @Independent having a punt at my education not much better. — Al Murray (@almurray) January 15, 2015 @DavidCoburnUKip @Independent *your. There's that Uni education again.

Nigel Farage has performed a useful public service this week. Yes, really, he has. The UKIP leader, you see, is a believer in Root Causes. He is, in fact, a Root Causer and, like every member of that miserable tribe, liable to see every event as confirming the righteousness of his own longstanding, stale-breathed, prejudices. You see we - the west generally - bring all this trouble upon ourselves. At home and abroad. It's western foreign policy that explains and motivates Islamic extremism and it's uncontrolled (sic) immigration that's given it room to flourish in France, the United Kingdom and other countries. How very convenient. The idea that the Charlie Hebdo murders are in some way our own fault is hardly a new one and nor is it any longer confined to the ghastly left.

Ukip's commonwealth spokesperson Winston McKenzie - he of Carnival of Colour fame - is never far from controversy. It was only a matter of time before a devout Ukipper compared their hero Nigel Farage to a deity and we should have all guessed it would be Winston: ‘Jesus was one man. We are his army. Nigel Farage is one man and we are his army and that’s what it’s all about’ Happy Faragemas, everybody.

Ukip has confirmed this morning that Nigel Farage's wife is still in receipt of public money — despite an on air denial from her husband. The party could not have paid for better PR on Channel 4 last night, with Farage meeting Gogglebox poshos Steph and Dom for a special one off programme. One exchange caught Steerpike's eye, regarding employment of his wife. Nige claimed Kirsten was no longer 'paid by the public sector'. In fact, the Ukip leader could not have been clearer: 'Dom: But she is also your wife and she's working for you Farage: She is no longer paid by the public sector. Dom: Ok so now you have found someone to do that job? Farage: No she is still doing it. Dom: Oh she’s just not paid? Farage: Not paid by the European Parliament no.

Would you invite Nigel Farage around for drinks and dinner? Steph and Dom Meet…Nigel Farage shows what happened when the ‘posh couple’ from Gogglebox did just that. The Ukip leader comes across as a pretty ordinary bloke — or at least his projection of one. This Gogglebox special could be seen as either a Ukip party political broadcast or the makings of a political satire — with some great throw away lines. ‘He looks like a frog that’s sat on a nail,’ said Dom in anticipation of his guest’s arrival. ‘Was it the politics that screwed up the first marriage?’ he went on. [caption id="attachment_8947922" align="alignright" width="520"] Steph Parker, Nigel Farage and Nigel Farage.