Of course I’ll take £73,000 EU pension, says Farage

NIGEL FARAGE has been accused of hypocrisy after declaring he will take a taxpayer-funded EU pension despite spending his career campaigning against Brussels waste.

The former Ukip leader will be entitled to an annual pension of £73,000 when he reaches the age of 63, according to calculations. He is currently 53.

The pension could be part-funded by Britain’s estimated £50billion “divorce bill” – if there is a Brexit deal. Without a deal, the future of Eufunded pensions would be less clear.

Asked if he would accept the money, Mr Farage told the BBC’S Andrew Marr: “Of course. I have said that right from day one. Why should my family and others suffer even more.”

However, Mr Farage said he did not expect the money to ever be paid:. “Given the arbitrary way the European Union behaves in terms of money, I would be very surprised if I get any of it,” he said.

Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat’s Brexit spokesman, said: “Nigel Farage is a shameless hypocrite. He rails against the EU gravy train, but is happy to cash in when it suits him. No doubt he also secretly backs the £50billion Brexit divorce bill that includes money to pay for his EU pension.”

But Mr Farage rejected the charge, saying: “I have just voted to get rid of my job. I was the turkey that voted for Christmas. How is that hypocrisy?”

Earlier this year, Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s representative in the Brexit negotiations, accused Mr Farage of being “the biggest waste of money in the EU”. The two have been publicly rowing for many years over how the EU spends nation states’ cash and Mr Verhofstadt criticised Mr Farage for drawing his EU salary but not attending committee meetings.

In response, Mr Farage accused European politicians of enjoying “a wonderful lifestyle” and said he saved the taxpayer money by not attending as EU politicians get an allowance whenever they go to meetings.

Mr Farage was also criticised on the BBC political show for defending Donald Trump’s decision to retweet videos by Britain First, the far-right group.