Nigel Farage: 'I'm moving to Clacton, but Donald Trump will not be visiting any time soon'

• ITV News Anglia's political correspondent Emma Hutchinson interviews Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage says he is in the process of buying a house in Clacton as he looks ahead to bolstering Reform UK's position in the East of England at next year's council elections.

The party leader, who became the Essex seaside town's MP in July, insists moving to the constituency remains a priority.

"I'm there a couple of days every week and to do more is difficult, because I've got to be here in Westminster," said Mr Farage, in a wide-ranging interview with ITV News Anglia in which he also touched upon his relationship with Donald Trump, his commitments in the US, and his achievements in the constituency.

"It isn't about how much time you spend somewhere, it's about what you do with it," he said.

"What will help will be a house relocation, which is currently going through. So once I've got a property there it'll make life a lot easier.

"It all takes longer than you want it to. You think it should happen next Thursday, but it takes a few weeks."

Mr Farage admitted that since becoming an MP he had found it difficult to help constituents because he did not have staff or an office and had been working "from the bar".

"So there's been a huge backlog of people with a variety of problems and we're starting to work through it," he said. "It's not easy, but I'm lucky. I'm lucky to have four local councillors. Without them this job would be an awful lot harder.

"Because most of the things that constituents write to you about are not things MPs can deal with. The potholes - it's an Essex County Council problem."

The Reform UK leader said he had introduced some businesses to Tendring District Council which he hoped would invest in the area.

He also said he was launching a campaign to encourage more people to get smoke alarms following a fire in Jaywick in August.

Mr Farage is already looking ahead to the county council election next May and said the East of England was fertile ground for Reform UK because of its scepticism over "European entanglements".

"We are absolutely going to be going for it," he said. "From Essex County Council all the way up the East coast and inland too.

"You know, if we're going to make big breakthroughs next year, it'll be in the East."

Another big election coming up is the presidential race in America where Mr Farage's friend Donald Trump hopes to regain the White House.

But Mr Farage said his commitment to Clacton meant he would not be playing a significant role in the campaign and only has a couple of engagements across the Atlantic.

"This is the decision I made, when I was toying with this back in May," said Mr Farage. "Do I go to America for three months and follow the campaign, support the campaign, commentate on the campaign, be close to the campaign or do I stand [to be an MP]?

"So clearly my priority has to be Clacton, has to be my job in parliament and the party that I lead nationally, so I will not be there a huge amount."

But what about those rumours that Mr Farage has invited Donald Trump to spend some time in Clacton?

Mr Farage says it is not likely any time soon.

"Donald Trump has got a lot to worry about and I'm quite convinced that the next time he comes to the UK won't be Clacton, it'll be Turnberry golf course which is his proudest possession in the world," said Mr Farage.

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