Nigel Farage is "over the moon" with new immigration policy

19 February 2020, 20:47 | Updated: 19 February 2020, 20:52

Nigel Farage has expressed that he is "over the moon" with the new immigration policy announced by the Home Secretary Priti Patel today.

The government has unveiled a new point-based system to be introduced from January 2021 that intends to "end reliance on low-skilled workers" and make it easier for higher-skilled workers to get UK visas.

Speaking on LBC after the announcement, Nigel made it very clear how he felt about the policy when a listener asked him if he was disappointed.

When listener Keith messaged Nigel, while he was on live on air, to point out that Nigel had previously campaigned for a points based immigration system, the presenter said he was made to feel like an "outcast" 16 years ago.

Nigel said: "Keith says to me, 'a points based immigration system. Now where have I heard that before? Are you annoyed? the Tories are stealing your policies?'

"Keith, I've been banging on about Australian style point system since 2004, endlessly, to the point that people got very bored with hearing it.

"And I was, I was an outcast. A pariah. How dare I suggest such a terrible thing?

"How basically awful of me, and now it's government policy. Am I annoyed? I'm over the moon."

Earlier in the day LBC's Nick Ferrari challenged the Home Secretary over new points-based system and pointed out that she herself would not be here under her proposed plans.

James O'Brien said he found the plans "obnoxious."

Watch the full clip at the top of this page.