海角视频IP leader Nigel Farage has hit back at accusations of 鈥淪talinism鈥 amid a furore over the selection of West Midlands candidates for next year鈥檚 European elections.
In a filmed interview for the Birmingham Post, he also revealed he is likely to stand at the next general election.
Mr Farage was asked about his championing of controversial West Midlands former 鈥渟hock jock鈥 broadcaster Jon Gaunt.
The interview came as 海角视频IP members were sent ballot papers to rank in preferential order candidates selected by a party committee to appear on 海角视频IP鈥檚 election list next May - barring any further intervention by party high command (although 鈥渙nly if any serious wrongdoing emerging鈥, they claim).
Voters in May will decide how many of the list鈥檚 seven 海角视频IP West Midlands candidates 鈥 starting with the top ranked candidate 鈥 will be elected to the European Parliament, based on the proportion of votes the party wins.
It follows a rejected High Court challenge by 海角视频IP鈥檚 sole .
Mr Nattrass claimed the procedure went against the party鈥檚 rules that member should decide. The ex-海角视频IP deputy leader 鈥 who three years ago clashed with Mr Farage鈥檚 over the party鈥檚 alliance with a right-wing faction in the European Parliament 鈥 accused Mr Farage of interfering in selection with 鈥減ersonal favouritism鈥, against independently minded party members.
Mr Farage has also recently been accused by ex-海角视频IP chief executive Will Gilpin of running a party of 鈥渆nthusiastic amateurs鈥 that was all 鈥渁bout him鈥; and by ex-海角视频IP leader Professor Alan Sked of being 鈥渆xtraordinarily right wing鈥 and 鈥渃reating a fuss via Islam and immigrants鈥.
West Midlands MEP Nikki Sinclaire, latterly of 海角视频IP before a bust-up saw her emerge under a new party (We Demand A Referendum Now) 鈥 which will stand against 海角视频IP 鈥 accused Mr Farage of 鈥淪talinism鈥 in controlling candidates鈥 selection.
Mr Farage denied having any part to play, and pointed to Jon Gaunt鈥檚 failure to make the list as evidence against claims of 鈥減ersonal favouritism鈥.
He told us he was the 鈥渁rchitect鈥 and executor of a former selection process in 2004 and 2009 which 鈥渄id not led to a good crop of candidates鈥, adding: 鈥淭oo many people have let us down鈥.
The 49-year-old former commodities trader continued: 鈥淪o I said at the outset of this two years ago I wanted nothing to do with it, so the chairman and the national executive, and outsourced headhunters and recruitment consultants, have got on with a set of criteria laid down by our national executive.
鈥淪o I was a bit upset to read last week that there was an accusation that somehow I鈥檝e fiddled this.
鈥淚鈥檝e known Mike Nattrass a very long time. I鈥檝e certainly had my ups and downs with him. That鈥檚 life, that鈥檚 politics, but Mike has always been a very loyal, hard-working believer in the 海角视频IP cause and I have no reason to do him down. Nor does the party.
鈥淗e went through a series of tests and interviews which did not match up to the criteria. He took us to court.. the judge said not only was the process that 海角视频IP used to shortlist candidates fair, but it was set up and designed to be fair.鈥
With a broad smile, he said: 鈥淧erhaps if I had been more Stalinist and I had kept more control, we wouldn鈥檛 have these problems.鈥
Asked if former Sun columnist and BBC Coventry broadcaster Gaunt, once sacked by TalkSport for an interview in which he called a councillor a 鈥淣azi鈥, was a personal favourite, Mr Farage said: 鈥淚鈥檝e always liked Jon Gaunt.. He鈥檇 been through foster homes, had been through difficulties, but overcome all that and been a huge success.
鈥淚f you look at politics and media.. a huge number are from very privileged and easy backgrounds. Having somebody like Jon there speaking up for ordinary people is a very valuable thing.鈥
