Reform rally audience BOO biased BBC as Farage addresses major controversy
Reform rally audience BOO biased BBC as Farage addresses major controversy
REFORM UK/PA
The BBC has been booed by Reform UK supporters as Nigel Farage renews his "popular" commitment to scrapping the broadcaster's licence fee.
The Reform UK leader, who was speaking to supporters at the NEC in Birmingham, received a rapturous round of applause when he lambasted the BBC for its Question Time coverage on Friday.
Farage told the crowd that his Question Time appearance was the "final straw" with the BBC.
He accused the BBC of showing "cynical bias" as the Reform leader faced a grilling from a "rigged audience".
Reform rally audience BOO biased BBC as Farage addresses major controversyREFORM UK/PASpeaking at his campaign rally, Farage said: "First day of the campaign, I did an event down in Dover, where I talked about one of my pet subjects, the boats crossing the English Channel.
"And it was interesting because the BBC news channel, took the speech live until they cut it off with the presenters saying 'we have cut away from that because here's Nigel Farage using his customary inflammatory language'."
The crowd started booing the BBC.
"I demanded an apology, and I got one, which is remarkable," he added which then sparked cheers from the audience.
Later in his speech, the Reform leader added: "I've had enough of the BBC.
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"We will renew our campaign with added vigour to say the state broadcaster has abused its position of power.
"And we will campaign as the leading opposition voice in, not just in parliament but across the country too, we will campaign for the abolition of the BBC license fee."
Members of the audience gave Farage a standing ovation as they clapped and cheered the Reform leader.
It comes after the Brexiteer refused to appear on the Laura Kuenssberg show until he received an apology from the BBC for their "dishonest Question Time audience".
Farage told the crowd that his Question Time appearance was the "final straw" with the BBC
BBCBBC Question Time was branded "appalling" after being accused of showing "cynical bias" less than a week before the polls open.
He was asked about Channel 4’s undercover report into controversial comments made by Clacton campaigners for the first half of his appearance.
The second section focused on Farage’s stance on immigration but the Brexit stalwart failed to receive applause from the audience in Birmingham.
Farage later wrote on social media: "Our state broadcaster has behaved like a political actor throughout this election."