Nigel Farage's partner, Laure Ferrari, has refused to confirm how she paid for a house in the Reform UK leader's constituency of Clacton, adding that "there's more than one way to pay for a house."
Le Monde Interview Reveals Evasion
In an interview with French publication Le Monde, Ferrari was questioned over revelations that she had purchased a house in her name in Clacton after Farage initially claimed to be the buyer. The publication reported that she "dodged" the question. When asked if she bought the property through a family inheritance, she said: "Yes and no, that would be a very large inheritance ... There's more than one way to pay for a house."
"I can't say how much my grandmother gave, that's my business," Ferrari added. "The main thing is that I paid all the taxes, there was no tax evasion, and the house is in my name."
Background of the Property Purchase
The Guardian first reported last year that the house in Clacton, which Farage initially said he had bought himself, was entirely owned by Ferrari. While Farage cited security reasons for the ownership structure, Ferrari purchasing the house would have saved the Reform UK leader an estimated £44,000 in higher-rate stamp duty, given his other properties.
Farage denied lending or giving Ferrari money towards the £885,000 price of the property in Frinton-on-Sea, stating last September: "I haven't lent money to anybody. I didn't give her money. She comes from a very successful French family and she can afford it herself."
BBC Investigation Raises Questions
A BBC investigation found that Ferrari's father's haulage business in Strasbourg was liquidated in 2020, and her parents live in a flat worth about £300,000 in a suburb of the French city, co-owned with their two daughters. The family also owns the former premises of the haulage company, rented out for an estimated €8,000-€9,000 (£7,000-£7,800) a month.
Labour Calls for Clarity
Following the interview, Labour called on Farage to clarify how the purchase was funded. "Last week we discovered that Nigel Farage failed to declare a £5 million donation from a crypto-billionaire and this week we discover that Farage's partner might not have paid for all of his house in Clacton after all," they said. "The leader of Reform needs to stop dodging scrutiny and urgently answer questions about this purchase."
Ferrari's Role in Farage's Career
Ferrari, 46, born in Épinal, eastern France, claimed in the interview that she "encouraged" three key moments in his political career: leaving Ukip, appearing on ITV's I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!, and running for parliament in 2024 instead of leaving for the US to campaign for Donald Trump. However, she insisted that if Farage became prime minister, she would not be involved in UK affairs, adding that Carrie Johnson, former PM Boris Johnson's wife, "intervened far too much."
On the prospect of Farage reaching Downing Street, she said: "I don't want to tempt fate, but a lot can happen between now and the elections," adding she would look forward to diplomatic events. "I really like ambassador's dinners, Ferrero Rocher, that sort of thing."
The Guardian has contacted Reform for comment.
