Eurosceptics’ leader denies commenting on Alfred Sant’s candidature

The leader of the European eurosceptics Nigel Farage (UKIP) has denied comments attributed to him about former prime minister Alfred Sant.

In the past week, the Nationalist media reported comments signed by commenter ‘Nigel Farage’ on an inewsmalta blog, portraying it as a “sign that Alfred Sant’s candidature is already attracting wide criticism and scepticism by EU leaders.”

The comment says the reasons behind Sant’s candidature were purely financial as he was “simply after a job,” and that the former Prime Minister lost his credibility when he decided to contest the EP elections on the labour ticket.

The comment was not written by me. But I do not urge support for Mr Sant in any case. Nigel Farage

It now transpires that as was widely thought, the comments were not authentically Farage's, the MEP, who confirmed that he was not behind the comments. He added that however, “he would not urge support for Mr Sant in any case.”

Sant was Prime Minister when he decided to freeze Malta’s application for EU membership, and subsequently led the NO vote during the 2003 referendum. On various occasions, he dismissed the label of ‘euro-sceptic’, preferring instead the term ‘euro-realist.’