Kemi Badenoch will be spared a legal fight with Nigel Farage over her claim Reform UK faked its membership numbers.
Mr Farage said today he would not take court action against the Conservative leader after she accused him of “fraud and dishonesty”.
He will instead descend on her North West Essex constituency with 1,200 supporters to campaign later this month.
The Brexit architect said: “I’m not going to sue over it because, as I said, I do believe in free speech.
“I was offended by it, I asked for an apology and one wasn’t given so I’m going to go to her constituency on the 31st of this month.
“I’m going to hold a big event for all the Reform members living in her constituency, there are 417 of them when I last checked, paid-up members, bet it’s more than she’s got. There’s another 800 supporters living in the constituency.
“And I’m going to do a big joint photo, Kemi, and say ‘these are all our fake members and we are coming for you at the next election’.”
A row erupted over Christmas between the pair when Mrs Badneoch accused Mr Farage of publishing a « fake » ticker showing Reform UK’s membership increasing to overtake the Conservatives.
Reform reacted furiously to Mrs Badenoch’s claim that Mr Farage was « manipulating [his] own supporters » with the ticker that is « coded to tick up automatically » after it showed the insurgent right-wing party had gone past 131,680 members – the number of eligible Conservative Party members in its leadership election in the autumn.
Mr Farage demanded an apology from Mrs Badenoch for the « accusations of fraud and dishonesty » that he labelled « disgraceful », and said he is « not going to take it lying down ».
Reform’s membership figures surged following the spat.
Meanwhile Mr Farage has declared earnings of more than half a million pounds from second jobs in his first six months as an MP, official records show.
An analysis suggested he earned more than £567,000 on top of his £91,000 salary as an MP.
The latest declarations in the MPs’ Register of Financial Interests includes £189,300 from a London gold bullion dealer which employs him as a “brand ambassador”.
He declared the sum for an average of four hours work a month since the election, and some work previously.
Other newly registered payments include more than £15,000 last month from Cameo, a website allowing people to commission bespoke video clips from celebrities.
He also declared £42,000 from his role as a presenter on GB News in December.
The record shows Mr Farage received gifts, donations and hospitality worth almost £58,000 in the past six months.
Speaking during an LBC phone-in, the Brexiteer told listeners that he had bought a house in his Clacton seat and was “meeting lots of constituents on a regular basis”.
He has previously been criticised for not holding surgeries in his Essex constituency, with some suggesting he has spent more time abroad than in the area.
But Mr Farage said he was planning a “massive event” for small businesses in Clacton later this month and was “out meeting constituents I bet far more than any MP has done for many, many years in Clacton”.
Adding that he had bought a house in Clacton, he said: “That’s why you can see me out, often on a Saturday morning, out buying the essentials – limes, tonic, all that sort of thing.
“So I’m out meeting lots of constituents on a regular basis and, you know, actually working with community groups, and I’ve made a few donations to some local charities personally, I’m thoroughly enjoying the job.”
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