Piers Morgan lays into Nigel Farage as BBC Question Time row erupts: ‘You’ve bottled it!'
Nigel Farage appeared on Question Time for the first time in five years alongside Piers Morgan resulting in a feisty debate.
Question Time: Piers Morgan accuses Nigel Farage of 'bottling it'
Piers Morgan has taken aim at Nigel Farage for “bottling it” by failing to get selected as a candidate in seven attempts to run for election.
The TV presenter, who is appearing on BBC's Question Time alongside Reform UK's honorary president, shouted "he's bottled it" when a member of the audience quizzed him over why he chose not to stand.
On why Mr Farage isn’t running in the election, Mr Morgan said: “You’ve had all year to think about this election. You knew it was coming.”
In response, Mr Farage said: ”I have a nightly TV show, yours has been shut down. You’re a YouTuber.”
Mr Farage has stood for election to the House of Commons seven times, in five general elections and two by-elections, losing in each by significant margins.
Mr Morgan shouted across the panel "you bottled it" while Mr Farage hit back with "you've never stood [for election]".
The journalist hit back by saying he is not a politician.
BBC Question Time host Fiona Bruce intervened to tell the feuding pair to answer the question from an audience member
Mr Farage continues: "In the 90s and 00's, I stood for UKIP time and again. I've had one serious attempt to stand for parliament but do you know what happened?"
Mr Morgan chimed in to say: "He lost!"
But Mr Farage said: "They cheated so badly that the agent got a nine-month prison sentence. They massively overspent and cheated. I've stood once before. I know how difficult it is when you've got the big parties who treat the law with contempt. I didn't feel with six weeks from scratch I could do it. I will be part of this campaign. I will be part of this debate. I do think there are very serious issues to discuss."
Mr Morgan interrupted to tell Mr Farage he had all year to think about the election which Rishi Sunak has called for July 4.
He said: "We all knew it was coming."
Mr Farage said: "I have a nightly TV show, yours has been shut down but mine is still going." But Mr Morgan hit back by saying he came off traditional linear television.
Mr Frage shouted: You’re a YouTuber!"
Ms Bruce then intervened to move the row along.
It is Mr Farage’s 37th appearance on Question Time but his first in around five years.
In a post on X, he said he was “looking forward” to the episode, while Mr Morgan wrote: “Well, this should be fun. Haven’t seen Farage since the little weasel tried to stab me in the back with Trump.”
That seems to be a reference to claims he made in 2022 that Mr Farage had handed the former US president a three-page dossier of critical comments he had made about him just before the ex-Britain’s Got Talent judge was set to interview him.
At the time, Mr Farage said he had told Trump “If you do this interview, here is the truth,” before handing him the dossier, claiming that “the interview, because of that, wasn’t quite the friendliest it ever could have been”.
