Nigel Farage Claims He's Poor Despite Household Income Of £100,000 (And A Chauffeur)

Chauffeur Driven, £79,000 Earning Farage Claims He's 'Poor'

Nigel Farage - who once boasted of taking £2 million in expenses as an MEP - is "poor".

For the Ukip leader at least, it seems a household earning £109,000 a year, dining on taxpayer subsidised food and having a £60,000 annual chauffeur allowance just isn't enough to cut it any more.

And let's not forget the £45,488 he made in 2012/2013 from media appearances and lecture fees.

Hmmm, really...

The UK's chief eurosceptic made the startling claims during a drinking session while filming a spin-off of Channel 4's 'Gogglebox'.

He said: "I don’t think I know anyone in politics who is as poor as we are.

"We live in a small semi-detached cottage in the country, and I can barely afford to live there.

"We don’t drive flash cars. We don’t have expensive holidays. We haven’t done for ten years."

Farage's claim of being the poorest person in politics falls at the first hurdle, however, as British MPs are paid a basic salary of £67,06 compared to the £79,000 he earns as an MEP.

And then there's Labour's Dennis Skinner, who actually turned down a pay rise this year.

Farage's claims are a bit of a 'Hilary Clinton moment', comparable to when the former US First Lady claimed she was forced into the highly lucrative public speaking circuit by being "dead broke."

The Times revealed this week that Ukip pays out £60,000 a year to transport its leader around in a chauffeur-driven car.

This is despite one of the party's main donours claiming they are "very, very short of money". Hugh Williams, Ukip’s registered treasurer, claimed the expense is "totally necessary".

Much like MPs in the Houses of Parliament, when Farage is working at EU headquarters in Brussels he enjoys taxpayer subsidised food and drink.

This Christmas, many MEPs will enjoy on a lunch consisting of foie gras, lobster and quail eggs all for the bargain price of around £16.

But Ukip, have said they are boycotting it as "it is a kick in the teeth for hard pressed families across the country".

The Ukip leader earns approximately £75,000, can claim travel expenses, an allowance of £238 daily when he in Brussels or Strasbourg as well as medical insurance.

So how does he compare to other UK workers?

Nurses

Annual Salaries - Public Sector vs. Politics

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