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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage shut down Ben Thompson and Sarah Campbell on BBC Breakfast as they quizzed him on the members of his party. Farage appeared on the show ahead of next week's local elections, and was quick to argue with Sarah as she asked about the number of Reform councillors who have left the party. She asked: "Just looking at the latest count and 74 reform councillors elected last year have either resigned, walked away, defected or been expelled or suspended from the party. Do you still have an issue with vetting and selection?"

Farage responded: "Yeah, I mean Labour have lost 300 and the Tories have lost 200, so there is a big churn in local government. On vetting, let me say this, that we've put up candidates in 99.9% of elections that are taking place next Thursday. We're pushing 5,000 candidates, and a handful of them we've had problems with, chiefly because they lied to us about their past associations or about social media handles we didn't know about.

"However, let me say this, that we dealt with all of that. The Conservative Party have had to suspend more candidates than we have.

"The Greens have had goodness knows problems on a massive scale, even Plaid in Wales had to suspend one of their candidates for saying some awful thing about underage people. So every party with an election of this scale faces these problems. I would say, compared to years gone by, our vetting is now very, very good."

He added: "If all anybody can find is a handful out of 5,000, I think that rather proves the point."

Sarah responded: "You're absolutely right to say that Labour and Conservative have lost a higher number than Reform UK have, but Reform UK has lost a higher proportion," as she put forward some examples to him, asking: "Does it worry you as a party leader that your party is attracting these sorts of people?"

Farage bluntly responded: "No, because it's happening to all the other parties as well," as he insisted that the actions of "one or two people" doesn't reflect the party as a whole.

The interview sparked fury with viewers, as they accused the news programme of being biased towards Farage and Reform, claiming he had been given an "easy ride".

One person said on X: "Farage not questioned on Jenrick & the police investigation you absolute pond life

@BBCBreakfast #Defund now their right wing agendas should be stopped in its tracks by board sackings, you mislead your listeners."

Another added: "Pulling out all the stops this morning - not only Dan Thomas but also extra Farage to really hype the anti Labour narrative."

A third asked: "Why is farage not being interrupted by the @BBCBreakfast and given an easy ride?" as a fourth person branded the interviewers "useless."

BBC Breakfast airs weekdays at 6am on BBC1.