Brexit Party

Nigel Farage says 85,000 people have signed up to his new Brexit Party, boasting “the fastest growing political force in the land” will smash the two-party system.

Almost £2m has flooded in within a few weeks from grassroots supporters, ahead of a predicted victory in the European elections later this month, the former Ukip leader said.

Mr Farage revealed the momentum behind his party – which tops polls for the MEP elections – as he warned a cross-party Brexit deal between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn would fuel it further.

Branding any softer Brexit agreement as a “coalition of politicians against the people”, he said: “I think millions of people would give up on both Labour and the Conservatives.”

He added: “This would be the final betrayal. Frankly, if May signs up to this, I can't see the point of the Conservative Party even existing. What is it for?”

Mr Farage refused to identify immediately a major donor who had given £100,000, but said: “We just yesterday hit 85,000 registered supporters, all paying £25.

“Work it out. We have raised getting on for £2m through individual people joining through our website. I can't think that any other party in the UK has raised money like that.”

The Brexit Party has reached 30 per cent in polls ahead of the 23 May elections, as voters turn on both the Conservatives and Labour over the seemingly never-ending crisis.

Mr Farage challenged Mr Corbyn to a debate as he vowed to target Labour voters next, having already switched many from the Tories and his former party.

Speaking on Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, he said: “There are 5 million voters out there, Labour voters, who voted to leave, particularly in the Midlands, the North, and South Wales.

“I would love between now and polling to have a debate with Jeremy Corbyn about this because people are very confused about what Labour are standing for.”

Mr Farage added: “I think if we can dig into the Labour vote, we can surprise even ourselves.”

He came under pressure over Claire Fox, a candidate in the North West of England, over the defence of the IRA Warrington bombing in 1993, but called it “irrelevant”.

Ms Fox was a member of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) which defended “the right of the Irish people to take whatever measures necessary in their struggle for freedom”.

But Mr Farage called it “a classic stitch up smear story”, insisting his candidate had “made no comments herself” and “does not want politics to be pursued by violent means”.

Colin Parry, whose son Tim, 12, died in the bombing, has said voters would be “absolutely disgusted” and urged Ms Fox to disown the comments, but Mr Farage said: “This is an irrelevant conversation.”/Agencies