The Daily Telegraph

Farage throws party to mark ‘remarkable 60 years on Earth’

- By Gordon Rayner associate editor

NIGEL FARAGE’S 60th birthday party was compared to an episode of This Is Your Life as he celebrated with guests from the worlds of politics, banking and television on Wednesday night.

In an evening full of surprises, Donald Trump beamed a message in from the US, telling his friend: “You’re not done yet and hopefully the best is yet to come.”

Former prime minister Liz Truss, former Brexit secretary David Davis and Tory MPS Dame Andrea Jenkyns and Mark Francois mingled with Reform UK leader Richard Tice, former Ukip donor Arron Banks, GB News chief executive Angelos Frangopoul­os, historian David Starkey and others after Mr Farage took over one of his favourite restaurant­s, Boisdale of Canary Wharf, in London.

As well as Mr Trump, the guests heard from Mr Farage’s son Sam, who recalled fond childhood memories of fishing trips with his father; Holly Valance, the former Neighbours actress and wife of property magnate Nick Candy; and comedian Dominic Frisby.

Mr Farage, looking dapper in a velvet dinner jacket and accompanie­d by his French girlfriend Laure Ferrari, teased the guests by telling them he had an announceme­nt to make about his future, before saying he would decide “in the next few weeks” whether he will return to front-line politics ahead of the general election.

Mr Farage, currently honorary president of Reform UK and a presenter on GB News, invited friends from his career in the City – where he joked that he worked hard every day “until lunchtime” – as well as from Ukip, and from the Conservati­ve Party. Compere Jim Davidson joked that the party was like an episode of This Is Your Life, and that he would be whisked away to a TV studio to be presented with a red book by Eamonn Andrews, as Davidson once was.

In his video message, Mr Trump said: “You have earned your place in history. Congratula­tions on a truly remarkable 60 years on Earth, your achievemen­ts have been incredible.”

 ?? ?? Nigel Farage, centre, flanked by Dame Andrea Jenkyns, the Conservati­ve MP, and Arron Banks, the former Ukip donor. Dame Andrea called Mr Farage ‘one of the most influentia­l politician­s of our generation’
Nigel Farage, centre, flanked by Dame Andrea Jenkyns, the Conservati­ve MP, and Arron Banks, the former Ukip donor. Dame Andrea called Mr Farage ‘one of the most influentia­l politician­s of our generation’

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