Nigel Farage claims supporting Brexit has cost him a knighthood
‘I have got a Brexmas present far more important than the honour,’ former Ukip leader says
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Your support makes all the difference.Nigel Farage has claimed he has been overlooked for a knighthood because he did not support Remain at the EU referendum in 2016.
The former Ukip leader and influential Brexit campaigner told the The Telegraph he would not be receiving an honour because of his political allegiances.
“Of course I have not got an honour of any kind – I am not a Remainer,” he told the newspaper.
“Every one of them got CBEs, they got knighthoods, quite extraordinary. I have got a Brexmas present far more important than the honour,” he added.
“A campaign to get back British blue passports has been successful. I held that passport up every day [during the referendum campaign] so I couldn’t be happier.”
The news comes after claims that Ukip’s former MP Douglas Carswell blocked attempts to give Mr Farage a knighthood at last year’s New Year honours.
Mr Carswell apparently mocked Mr Farage’s chances of winning an honour, saying he should be given an award “for services to headline writers”, according to leaked emails seen by The Telegraph.
Mr Farage claimed the comments were an indication that Mr Carswell was “consumed with jealousy” and has a “desire to hurt me”.
Lord Pearson of Rannoch, Ukip’s former leader, had previously attempted to get Mr Farage a peerage in the wake of last year’s EU referendum.
The plans were however dropped when it was realised that Mr Farage would have to resign as an MEP to be allowed to sit in the House of Lords.
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