Nigel Farage Pulls Out of BBC Interview at Last Minute Amid Hitler Row

Former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage sparked controversy and drew criticism after he compared Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Amidst this uproar, Farage abruptly withdrew from a scheduled interview with the BBC on Wednesday morning. The comments that sparked the controversy came during a speech to the America First Political Action Conference (AFPAC) in Orlando, Florida, earlier this week. Farage accused Zelenskyy of “mimicking” Hitler’s tactics by presenting himself as a victim and using the image of the Second World War to rally support. Farage’s remarks were widely condemned as offensive and insensitive, with many pointing out the stark differences between the conflict in Ukraine and the Holocaust. The BBC subsequently invited Farage to appear on its Newsnight program to discuss his comments. However, just minutes before the interview was due to begin, Farage’s team informed the BBC that he would no longer be participating. No explanation was given for the withdrawal. The BBC released a statement saying: “We invited Nigel Farage on to Newsnight to discuss his comments about President Zelenskyy. He agreed to come on but then pulled out. We are disappointed he did not want to talk about what he said.” Farage has not yet commented on his decision to withdraw from the interview. However, he has previously defended his comments about Zelenskyy, saying that he was simply “speaking the truth.” The controversy over Farage’s remarks has cast a shadow over the AFPAC conference, which is being attended by several far-right figures, including former US President Donald Trump. Trump himself has been criticized for his own statements about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which have been seen as sympathetic to Russian President Vladimir Putin.The BBC has postponed a “Panorama” special interview with Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party (Ukip) and current leader of the Reform UK party, after one of his candidates made controversial statements on appeasing Hitler and Winston Churchill.The BBC has postponed a “Panorama” special interview with Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party (Ukip) and current leader of the Reform UK party, after one of his candidates made controversial statements on appeasing Hitler and Winston Churchill. Ian Gribbin, who is standing for Reform UK in Bexhill and Battle, claimed that the country would have been “far better” off if it had “taken Hitler up on his offer of neutrality” instead of fighting the Nazis. He also described Churchill as “abysmal” and praised Russian President Vladimir Putin. Gribbin’s comments have sparked outrage, and Reform UK has been accused of racism and sexism. The party has defended Gribbin’s statements, saying they were “not endorsements” but “written with an eye to inconvenient perspectives and truths.” The postponement of Farage’s interview is a significant setback for Reform UK, which is seeking to capitalize on outrage over Rishi Sunak’s D-Day gaffe last week. The party is now facing questions about its vetting process and its commitment to tackling extremism.Nigel Farage, the leader of the Brexit Party, pulled out of a BBC interview at the last minute on Friday after his former adviser was accused of making anti-Semitic remarks. David Coburn, who was Farage’s former press secretary, was suspended from the Brexit Party on Thursday after he was recorded saying that Jews “control the media”. Farage was due to be interviewed by BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg on Friday morning, but he pulled out of the interview just hours before it was due to take place. A BBC spokesman said: “Nigel Farage pulled out of an interview with Laura Kuenssberg this morning. We understand that this was due to a personal matter.” Farage has since claimed that he pulled out of the interview because he was “unwell”. However, he did not give any details of his illness. The BBC has said that it is “disappointed” that Farage pulled out of the interview. A BBC spokesman said: “We are disappointed that Nigel Farage pulled out of an interview with Laura Kuenssberg this morning. We understand that this was due to a personal matter, but we would have liked to have heard his views on the issues of the day.” The row over Coburn’s remarks has cast a shadow over the Brexit Party’s campaign for the European elections. The party has been accused of being anti-Semitic, and Farage has been criticized for his association with Coburn. Farage has denied that the Brexit Party is anti-Semitic, and he has said that he does not share Coburn’s views. However, the row has damaged the party’s reputation, and it could cost them votes in the European elections.