Nigel Farage ‘tricked into paying tribute to Ian Watkins’

Nigel Farage has fallen victim to a prankster who duped him into paying tribute to a man with a notorious name.

Ian Watkins was also the name of the dead Lost Prophets frontman and notorious paedophile.

It cost £98 for the Reform UK leader to film the clip on his Cameo account where he had previously been duped into a supportive message to the IRA.

In the 27-second clip, he says: ‘This message is to pay tribute to Ian Watkins, a good man, a really good guy who is very much in contact with me.

‘He loved his children and will be sorely missed by them forever. He will always hold a very special place in everybody’s heart.

‘Remember what he always said ‘Mad Lolz’ doesn’t that sum up the world doesn’t it?’

‘Sorry for your grief but please try and keep some happy memories.’

Nigel Farage told Metro: ‘Thank him for the money. There are lots of Ian Watkins.

‘Tell him to send more. I did alter his request.’

Metro has sought clarification on what alterations he made to the request.

John Smith, who commissioned the clip, told Metro he expected a rejection and was blown away when Farage actually responded.

He said: ‘I was inspired by the lads that got him to say “Up the Ra” and wondered if he would go for it.

‘Getting the video was simplicity itself, I just asked him to do a video on behalf of a late friend called Ian Watkins and his family.

‘I am concerned that he could not see through my frankly paper-thin deception and his willingness to do anything for money without even a rudimentary check.

‘If he would do this for a small amount of money, what would he do for paymasters with deeper pockets?

‘I hope to show the world that Farage is a man who will do and say anything for whoever is paying him. I suspect he has no actual ideology and will follow the path to power that offers the least resistance.’

‘If I could speak directly to him I would ask why he did not do even a rudimentary check? Will he blindly accept what he is told by the Kremlin, the White House or anyone with £70 going spare for a Cameo?’

Asked if he was concerned the prank was making light of Watkins crimes, he said: ‘No, I am worried that Farage’s support of Grok and its ability to generate obscene images of women and children, his giggling at PMQ’s yesterday makes light of these crimes.’

‘My favourite part was the fact he knowingly lied saying “Ian” was someone he knew well.

‘If he is prepared to lie for relatively paltry sums, what is he prepared to do for larger amounts?

‘I asked him to do Watkins infamous “Mega Lolz” catchprase but Farage f***ed it up. Maybe I should ask for a refund?’

Ian Watkins was stabbed to death in prison after pleading guilty to his child sex offence crimes – which included the attempted rape of an 11-month-old baby.

He died from blood loss after his throat was said to be slashed in the HMP Wakefield attack last year.

The disgraced singer was serving a 35-year sentence after being convicted of 13 child sex offences in 2013, including three counts of sexual assault involving children.

Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were charged with murder over the alleged prison attack on October 11.