How long has Farage been sailing the high seas? Did he buy the boat himself or was it a gift? And why has he chosen not to record this memorable maritime investment in the register of interests?”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s register of interests is once more under scrutiny, with questions being raised about why his commercial fishing vessel has not been included.
Anti-extremist campaign group Hope not Hate has highlighted how on 23 April, during an interview with GB News, Farage unexpectedly announced that he is “heavily invested” in fishing, as the owner of a commercial fishing vessel.
He said: “I’m the only member of Parliament that has a financial stake in the commercial fishing industry […] I own a commercial fishing boat […] I have a skipper who runs that boat.”
Hope not Hate says: “It also came as a surprise to anyone who has read Farage’s entries in the Parliamentary Register of Interests, in which not a single reference to boats or fish can be found amongst his many other side-jobs and foreign jollies.
“The rules regarding what must be registered are extremely broad: MPs are required to register “any financial interest or other material benefit which a Member receives which might reasonably be thought by others to influence his or her actions, speeches or votes in Parliament”.
“This would certainly include a commercial fishing vessel even if, as he later claimed, he “doesn’t make any money on it”.
There is no mention of Farage’s commercial fishing vessel on his register of interests as of 2nd June, a full 56 days since he revealed his investment to GB News viewers.
Hope not Hate asks: “How long has Farage been sailing the high seas? Did he buy the boat himself or was it a gift? And why has he chosen not to record this memorable maritime investment in the register of interests?”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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