General Election 2015: Nigel Farage declares all-out war with the BBC

'Ukip are the fourth major party in British politics and that is something that has been respected by Sky, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 but not by the BBC'

Nigel Farage declared all-out war with the BBC as he pledged to drastically cut its funding and influence.

He has stepped up his attack on the broadcaster, accusing it of bias and claimed it had undermined his party’s chances at the General Election.

He pulled out of an interview with BBC Radio 1 later on 1 May and has decided not to “collaborate” with the BBC’s news teams until he is given what he deems as fair coverage. He will only give set-piece interviews to the BBC, such as BBC 2’s Jeremy Vine Show and BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

He told Sky News: "Ukip are the fourth major party in British politics and that is something that has been respected by Sky, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 but not by the BBC.

"If I was in a position of power, I would take away a lot of their funding, a lot of their influence. I think in the modern world the BBC having this vast budget and this huge power over broadcasting is frankly an anachronism."

It comes after Ukip said it had called on Scotland Yard to investigate a joke made on the satirical news programme on the BBC – Have I Got News For You.

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The party claimed the programme had breached the Representation of the People Act 1918 and had hindered its chances of electoral success.

It related to remarks made by panellist and journalist Camilla Long, who claimed Mr Farage had “only been a few times” to South Thanet, the constituency he is fighting.

Kent police had rejected the complaint so Ukip has now taken it up with the Metropolitan Police, because the programme was made in London.

Last month Mr Farage attacked the BBC for fielding a “left-wing” audience in the TV challengers’ debate between him, Ed Miliband and the leaders of the SNP, Green party and Plaid Cymru.

The Ukip leader was booed and jeered by members of the audience after blaming large-scale immigration for putting pressure on housing and the NHS.

He was offended by the reaction and turned on the BBC, accusing the broadcaster of selecting an unfair audience.