The Reform leader defended his controversial visit to Portman Road, which prompted criticism from many of the Suffolk club’s fans, and said every Premier League and Championship club should want to meet him.
He made his remarks during a trip to the Norfolk Showground on Tuesday night, where his party held a rally.
Nigel Farage is understood to have been gifted six shirts by the club (Image: Reform UK)
He acknowledged his trip to Ipswich last week, during which he posted a video of him touring Portman Road, had “caused a stir in East Anglia“.
The clip saw him pose with Ipswich Town shirts with “Farage 10” on the back, visit the club’s media room and stand on the pitch side.
After days of criticism from fans saying the club should not have hosted the politician, chairman Mark Ashton released his own video in which he “unreservedly apologised“.
Mr Farage was unapologetic.
“These are hard left lunatics, they’re deeply intolerant – it’s all part of cancel culture,” he said.
Mr Farage walking through the tunnel (Image: Reform UK)
He revealed he had travelled to Portman Road to discuss Reform’s opposition to the government’s independent football regulator, which was introduced last year to oversee clubs’ financial conduct and test the suitability of owners.
The watchdog has also revealed plans to devise a new code of governance, with clubs having to show what they are doing to tackle under-representation of minorities and increase their focus on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
“I went to Ipswich because Mark Ashton wanted to meet me to talk about football regulations,” he said.
“Frankly, every Premier League club and Championship club should want to meet me and talk to me.
“They got bombarded with hate.
Mr Farage standing by the side of the Portman Road pitch (Image: Reform UK)
“That’s what the mob do – they frighten people. It shows you how nasty the country is.
“I’m not going to pick a fight with Mark, I don’t need to do that.
“But he comes under pressure, they start getting abuse. This is how people react because they thought they had to.”
Farage was greeted by protestors when he visited Suffolk last month.
A group of around 20 to 30 people chanting “roll up, roll up, marvel at the two-faced man” and “roll up, roll up, marvel at the fascist freak show”.
The MP for Clacton left Felixstowe shortly after beginning his walkabout in the town prior to a rally at Trinity Park in Ipswich.
He had planned to do the walkabout in Ipswich, but switched to Felixstowe because of the pleasant seaside location.
Mr Farage, who was surrounded by bodyguards, was bundled into a black Volvo and whisked away to Trinity Park, having intended to visit businesses all the way along Hamilton Road as far as the junction with Orwell Road.
Reacting to the protest, Michael Hadwen, Reform’s candidate for the Felixstowe Clifflands ward in the forthcoming election, reflected on Mr Farage’s involvement in forcing a Government U-turn on plans to scrap this year’s local elections in some wards.