'I don’t do computers': Nigel Farage apologises for 17 breaches of MPs' code of conduct
Nigel Farage has apologised for breaking the MPs’ code of conduct 17 times.
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He failed to declare £380,000 of income on time, saying he ‘doesn’t do computers’.
The Reform UK leader breached Commons rules 17 times by not registering payments within the required 28-day deadline.
He blamed an aide for the error, saying he relied on other people to register his outside earnings because he is not ‘computer literate’, but said he takes ‘full responsibility’.
Farage told the standards commissioner: “Why have payments that have gone into my account been delayed? Well, gross, gross administrative error. And I’m a little bit shocked by [it], especially as some payments were put in months after I had [provided them].
“You may say: why don’t I enter those things myself? Well, I don’t do computers. I can come and fill in a register for you, but I don’t do computers. So I rely on other people to do those things for me. I’m not, I’m afraid, computer literate, which makes me yet more an oddball than perhaps I was before.”
He said the errors were inadvertent and he had not intended to deceive anyone.
Daniel Greenberg, the standards commissioner, found there had been a high number of breaches and that it was of high value, but he accepted that this had been inadvertent.
Mr Farage apologised, saying: “I’m sorry. I apologise. I fully accept that I’m in the wrong in every way, because if your staff mess up, ultimately you’re responsible and that’s what happens with rank in life, whether you’re, you know, running a business or a member of parliament.”
A Labour Party spokesperson said: "Nigel Farage is so distracted with tempting failed Tory politicians into his party that he can't even get the basics right. He isn't on the side of working people - he's just lining his pockets when he should be standing up for his constituents.
"He boasts about making money 'because I'm Nigel Farage', raking in millions through various outside jobs. But he neglects to do the important work that hard-pressed taxpayers fork out for him to do.
"Labour will tighten the rules on MPs' second jobs to make sure the public get the attention they expect and deserve from their elected representatives."
Liberal Democrats deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: "Five Jobs Farage is spending far too much time jetting off to talk our country down in the US and cashing in from his GB News show.
"Just like his idol Donald Trump, Farage thinks politics is all about lining his own pockets not serving the people. We can't let Trump's America become Farage's Britain.
"Farage should spend more time in Clacton and less time on Cameo."
Nigel Farage’s sources of income - the UK’s highest-earning MP
Reform UK MP for Clacton – £91,346
Gold Bullion ambassador for Direct Bullion-£189,300 from 24 hours work
TV presenter on GB News-£219,506
Influencer on Facebook/Meta-£2,795
Influencer on X-£5,482
Personalised videos on Cameo-£54,006
Public speaker-£65,379
Journalist at Telegraph-£24,000
Influencer on Youtube/Google-£11,117