Nigel Farage
29 March 2017: Nigel Farage, anti-EU campaigner and former leader of Ukip, stands outside the Houses of Parliament in London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

KEY POINTS

  • The tweet was in response to the UK government's latest defeat in Parliament over Brexit.
  • Twitter users have pointed out that Farage has nearly 20 years as an MEP.

A Nigel Farage Twitter barb aimed at "career" politicians in Westminster has been widely mocked by social media users.

On Wednesday (13 December) he posted this short message to his followers: 'My contempt for career politicians knows no bounds'. So far it has received 15,000 likes and 5,000 retweets

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The tweet was likely a response to the legislative defeat for the government over Brexit.

His distaste for MPs and their aides should come as no surprise. Farage has spent much of his own time in politics attacking what he sees as the country's "elites" who he claims have limited experience of life outside the Westminster bubble.

Some have pointed out that with nearly 20 years as an MEP behind him, Nigel Farage could be considered a career politician himself. His tweet attracted 5,0000 replies with many calling his statement "hypocritical."

Farage, 53, was once a commodities trader in the City of London but has spent much of his life as an ardent Eurosceptic campaigner in Brussels.

First elected as a Ukip MEP in 1999, Farage has remained in the European Parliament ever since. Earlier this month he said he intended to collect an annual £73,000 pension when he becomes eligible in ten years' time.

Twitter users, including seasoned politicians, have lined up to brand Farage a "moaner" and a "snowflake" for his latest comments.

Nigel Farage UKIP Twitter Brexit