Nigel Farage says Theresa May is winning because she has stolen all his policies

'She is using exactly the same words and phrases that I have been using for 20 years'

Nigel Farage says Theresa May is hoovering up Ukip supporters because she has stolen his policies hook, line and sinker.

The former Ukip leader noted that, in 2013, he won the local council elections “on a manifesto of bringing back grammar schools, getting Britain outside the European Union, controlling immigration”.

“Four years on, the British Prime Minister was running on exactly the same ticket and swept the board,” he told ITV’s Peston programme.

“She is using exactly the same words and phrases that I have been using for 20 years. I thought bashing Brussels bureaucrats was purely my domain.”

Mr Farage insisted Ukip voters would return to the party for the general election, on June 8, when they realised the Tories had made it a “non contest”.

But, looking back to last week’s local elections, he said: “The number of Ukip supporters who contacted me and said, ‘you know what Nigel, this time we have to support Theresa May’”

Mr Farage also gave his backing to beleaguered Ukip leader Paul Nuttall, saying: “It’s always difficult to step into somebody else’s shoes – he’s doing fine.”

He vowed to remain an MEP, adding: “I shall continue bashing Brussels bureaucrats, but obviously now - with Mrs May - I have got some real competition.”