The Reform UK leader received a mixed reception in Worthing this afternoon, April 30.
However, he was optimistic about his party’s chances at the council polls in Sussex on May 7.
Today marked the Clacton MP’s third visit to Sussex in the past five weeks, having held a rally at the South of England showground near Ardingly on March 25 and heading to Crowborough for a campaign visit on April 15.
Speaking to The Argus, he said: “One of the reasons for coming here three or four times is without us, there wouldn’t even be a vote.
“I think it is worth reminding people, having fought that legal action and giving council taxpayers that right.
“Otherwise, for the second year in a row, the vote would have been denied so I think that’s important.”
On Reform’s Sussex prospects, Mr Farage said he was “quietly confident”.
“You take here (Worthing) and Adur, where Labour are quite strong, but there’s a Green vote now, which makes it harder for them,” he said.
“Then in many parts of Sussex, you’ve got the historical, traditional Conservative vote.
“And whilst that won’t disappear, it’s a lot, lot lower than it was in 2021 when these seats were last contested.
“So I’ve been saying to other media this morning, if you can predict the result for me next Thursday, East and West Sussex you’re a better person than me.
“My real sense is that it’s really close. If we go up two per cent from where we are, we’ll win outright.
“If we go down two per cent we won’t do very well. That literally is how close I believe the whole thing is.
“We will do well in both, how well, we’ll find out next week.
“But I am quietly confident.”
Helena Dollimore, MP for Hastings and Rye, said she was “absolutely horrified” by the allegations and wrote to Mr Farage calling for him to be removed from the party.
The Reform leader confirmed to The Argus that Mr Hodges would be standing next week, however if he was elected, he added “sitting with [Reform] would be a separate issue”.
Mr Farage said: “I would point out, yes I’m not happy with some of those comments from the man from Hastings at all, but the Conservatives have suspended double the number of candidates we have.
“We all face those problems, we’re not perfect, we wish it wasn’t the case, but we all face them.
“[Ricky Hodges’] nomination paper is in, so he’s going to be standing. Whether, if he gets elected, he’d be allowed to sit for us is a separate issue.
“That’s under investigation.”
Mr Farage was also asked how Reform would approach the issue of water pollution and failing water infrastructure.
He said: “It’s a massive problem. One of the primary causes no one is talking about is the population explosion.
“Population has risen by ten million and we’re still using infrastructure which in many cases dates back many decades.
“The upgrade is terrifyingly expensive, but I just think that the levels of pollution we now ourselves are dumping in the sea when it rains heavily are just totally unacceptable at every level.
“It was one of the policies that got the Lib Dems a lot of votes in the last election, they pushed on this very, very hard.
“I think some of the companies deserve to go bust, not have government support.
“Bond holders and shareholders lose their money and start again. I feel quite radical about it.”
When asked if Southern Water is among those companies, Mr Farage said he “wouldn’t rate [himself ] in [Southern Water’s] top ten fans”.
“It just isn’t good enough,” he added.
“I’d love a bit more honesty from them. If Southern Water just said, look, these are the set of circumstances we face. This is what the problem is. This is what the solution is and we’re proposing a partnership for business and government.
“But I just don’t see it. I don’t see the kind of radical medium to long term plan that is needed to sort this. I’m looking for a vision on it. I think everybody else is.
“If they can’t provide that vision, they don’t deserve to survive.”
During the campaign visit to Worthing today, Mr Farage greeted West Sussex local election candidates and took selfies with people.
He also visited Worthing Pier, where he took pictures with supporters.
Green Party and Stand Up to Racism protesters also attended the visit, shouting at Mr Farage on the seafront and holding signs.
One protester said: “Reform out of Worthing.
“No division and racism in our town.”
While Mr Farage was being interviewed at The Cow Shed, the same protester said: “The NHS is not safe in the hands of this man.
“You’re screwed under this man.
“You’re not having a nice cosy lunch in Worthing, mate. It’s an anti-racist town.”
After two Reform buses, one of them carrying the party leader, left Worthing, protesters called out “don’t come back” and “shame on you”.
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