General Election 2015: Was this Nigel Farage’s last major interview as Ukip leader?

He made what could be one of his last major TV appearances as Ukip leader in a special show that followed the main Question Time leaders’ debates

Nigel Farage speaking his special Question Time event (BBC)

Nigel Farage was left out of BBC One's special Question Time leaders’ debate – much to his disgust – but he was given a special one-man show later that was aired more than an hour after the main event had finished.

He was grilled by an equally hostile audience in Birmingham in what could turn out to be his last major interview as Ukip leader – he announced he would quit heading up the party if he fails to win South Thanet.

And with the latest poll in the constituency showing he is on course to lose, last night could have been one of his last appearances in front of a mass TV audience.

Nigel Farage was left out of BBC One's main Question Time leaders' debate (EPA)

He used the 28 minutes of airtime – the same as each of David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg received in the main event – to issue a staunch defence of his anger over the cost of treating foreign “health tourists” for HIV.

He claimed he had the support of a British HIV patient, brandishing what he said was a letter from a patient who backed his bid to save £1 billion a year by prioritising NHS help on domestic patients.

In previous TV debates in the campaign Mr Farage came under fire for suggesting the cost of HIV drugs should instead be spent on cancer drugs for deserving Brits, calling for a crackdown on foreign ‘health tourists’ who came to the UK to use its free healthcare .

"It's interesting. I have here a letter from a 30-year-old HIV positive man in London who says, why are the waiting rooms now full to overflowing? Why does it now take me three weeks to get an appointment," he told the special Question Time audience.

Nigel Farage has attacked the BBC for refusing to include him in last night's Question Time leaders' debate (Getty Images)

"And he says to me, it is because since we opened the door in 2012 we're now incapable of providing HIV treatment for people legally living in Britain."

According to the Daily Express, the letter was an emotional plea from a "mixed-race, gay, HIV sufferer, who says he has only 14 days’ worth of life-saving medicine left".

"The waiting rooms are full with immigrant patients. Not only is this massively increasing cost it is burgeoning the small specialist system to the point of failure. Something must change and I support your comments fully," it was reported to say.

Mr Farage stayed to chat to the audience after the Q&A:

After #AskNigelFarage I stayed to chat with the audience for 5mins or so. But then I had to dash! #behindthescenes pic.twitter.com/NHC4W2PQeD

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) April 30, 2015

Mr Farage also appeared to raise fresh concerns about what he says is BBC left-wing "bias" - questioning why the audience applauded a questioner who suggested his party "simply blame immigration for every issue Britain currently faces".

"Wow, wow. Well that's - the applause for your question is interesting because 77% of British people want us to have proper border controls and reduced immigration levels, all right?" he said.

He also insisted Ukip could end up stronger even if the UK voted to stay in the EU in a referendum.

"Would it make UKIP redundant? No, because just look at what's happened in Scotland. The Scots - the Scots rejected their independence referendum and yet the SNP have gone to remarkable heights since then."

---

The Independent has got together with May2015.com to produce a poll of polls that produces the most up-to-date data in as close to real time as is possible.

Click the buttons below to explore how the main parties' fortunes have changed:

All data, polls and graphics are courtesy of May2015.com. Click through for daily analysis, in-depth features and all the data you need. (All historical data used is provided by UK Polling Report)