Fararge defends Banks after Hillsborough comments

Nigel Farage has described multi-millionaire Ukip backer Arron Banks as a "good friend" despite his Hillsborough gaffe comments.

Mr Farage, speaking at the Ukip spring conference in Bolton, refused to distance himself from the comments made by Mr Banks, who described the 1989 disaster which killed 96 fans as an "accident" and said he was "sick to death of hearing about it".

Mr Banks' comments prompted a furious reaction on social media from Liverpool FC fans and relatives of those who died at Hillsborough.

Mr Farage, asked on Friday if he was happy to be associated with Mr Banks, said:

The MEP repeatedly said: "I'm not his spokesman" when asked to comment about the Tweets from Mr Banks, the Ukip party donor.

Ukip leader Paul Nuttall, the Ukip candidate in Stoke's by-election next week, has himself faced widespread criticism and calls to resign as an MEP after it emerged that a claim made on his website that he lost close personal friends in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster is wrong.

Mr Farage continued:

Fresh inquests last year ruled the disaster was a case of unlawful killing.Mr Banks' tweets followed the admission by the Ukip leader that claims on his website were false.

He blamed the error on his press officer who has since offered to resign.