Nigel Farage pulls out of final crunch EU referendum debate… to have dinner with his son
UKIP leader who has spent his whole political career campaigning for Brexit was accused of 'bottling it'
NIGEL Farage sensationally pulled out of last night’s Channel 4 debate on the eve of the EU referendum to "have dinner with his son", it was revealed today.
The Ukip leader, who has spent his entire political career campaigning to leave the EU, initially cancelled citing “family reasons” and refused to elaborate when he was questioned by journalists at his home in Kent this morning.
It has since emerged that Mr Farage simply had dinner with his eldest son Sam instead of attending the final debate in his marathon anti-EU campaign.
A source said: “He hadn't seen him for nine months so it was between that or being on against the founder of Ukip who calls him racist. It was a no brainer.”
It is unclear why he had not seen his City worker son for nine months.
The late cancellation meant Mr Farage avoided what could have been a fiery showdown with Ukip founder Alan Sked who accused the Ukip leader of allowing the party to tirn into a "Frankenstein's monster" and racist under his leadership.
The broadcaster Channel 4 said they were only notified at 2pm today by UKIP but have since organised a replacement on the debate panel.
The Ukip leader had been scheduled to appear alongside former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell, Tory peer Michael Heseltine, former Tory MP Louise Mensch and Delia Smith.
Mr Campbell accused Mr Farage of "bottling it" on the eve of the referendum.
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The no-show came after the Ukip leader was widely criticised for his controversial "Breaking Point" immigration poster.
Speaking yesterday in central London, Mr Farage said: “I apologise for the timing and I apologise for the fact that it was able to be used by those who wish us harm.
“But I can't apologise for the truth. And after all, this was a photograph your newspaper carried, this was a photograph that all newspapers carried, it is an example of what is wrong inside the European Union.”
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