Farage urged to explain how Clacton home was funded

Nigel Farage is facing mounting questions about his £885,000 constituency home after an investigation called into question how the property was paid for.

- By ARCHIE MITCHELL, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

The Reform UK leader has denied avoiding more than £44,000 of stamp duty on the four-bedroom house in Clacton, which includes a heated swimming pool, after it emerged it had in fact been purchased by his partner.

Mr Farage said his partner, Laure Ferrari, had paid for the home with her own funds, and was able to do so as she comes from a wealthy French family. But a BBC investigation cast doubt on the claim, suggesting that her parents do not have the means to have made a significant contribution towards the purchase.

If Mr Farage had given Ms Ferrari the money to purchase the house, he would not have done anything illegal. But it would raise questions of hypocrisy, given that the Reform leader criticised Angela Rayner for her own failure to pay enough stamp duty when purchasing a flat in Hove - something she eventually resigned over.

"I haven't lent money to anybody. I didn't give her money," he told