Farage forgoes alcohol for January

UKIP leader and famous barfly Nigel Farage has admitted that he “needs a break” from alcohol, pledging a dry start to the new year.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who said having a beer with voters was “real canvassing”

The MEP and parliamentary candidate for May’s general election, who has built much of his reputation on his beer-swilling man-of-the-people image, said that orange juice would be the drink of choice for January.

He told Sky News, “It does us all good to have a break every now and again.”

The Dry January campaign being promoted by the NHS and Alcohol Concern is encouraging people to give up drinking and donate money to charity.

However, Farage seems to have made his pledge separate to this nationwide campaign, saying “I am not being particularly virtuous about this. I just… I need a break.”

During UKIP’s successful campaigns in the European elections last May and two parliamentary by-elections towards the end of 2014, Farage was seen touring the battlegrounds from one pub to the next, saying that having a beer with potential voters was “real canvassing”.

But it seems that January will be a total break from this tried-and-tested approach for Farage. When he was asked if it was a total break from alcohol, he said, “Oh yes, absolutely.”

Speaking about the possibility of also giving up ubiquitous cigarettes, he added, “Oh no, I will think about that later in the year.”

In December, Farage appeared in a special episode of Channel 4 show Gogglebox, in which he was seen spending the day with the reality show’s stars Dom and Steph Parker.

Farage managed to spill Champagne over himself, having to change into Mr Parker’s ripped jeans, as the trio helped themselves to several helpings of beer, wine and spirits.