LEAVE.EU campaigners are planning to work with New Zealand’s First Party in the country’s election later this year, according to reports.
Arron Banks’s Leave.EU campaign want to assist the party whose leader is like a “more seasoned version of Farage”, according to the Telegraph.
The unofficial Brexit campaign was fronted by Nigel Farage and played on fears about immigration. Farage’s “breaking point” poster, unveiled as part of the group’s campaign, was branded racist and dishonest ahead of the referendum.
More recently Leave.EU has become well known for its social media usage, which often aims to stir up divisions. Its posts on the likes of Angela Merkel and Meghan Markle have come under fire on several occasions.
READ MORE: New Zealand no longer coronavirus-free after pair from UK test positive
Now the newspaper says the campaign is advising Winston Peters’s First Party on its social media strategy.
Leave.EU is aiming to secure a six-figure deal with the politician to boost his party’s vote share to a level which could leave them holding the balance of power after the September election.
Banks said: “Since 2016 we have known Winston, he is a huge supporter of the Commonwealth and watched first hand the referendum campaign.
“He’s always been a more seasoned version of Farage with massive government experience.
“He is one of very few current politicians that speaks fluent human and can relate to anyone, he’s in the same mould as Boris they speak truth on behalf of the ordinary people. He is always on the side of the people.
“He has studied the way social media can be a useful channel when the mainstream media want to try and cancel what you have to say.
“His strength, like Boris/Farage, is he has a direct conversation with the public and social media is the perfect platform to do precisely that.
“We have deployed our top social media team and data experts to do all the creative work. Andy and I are giving Winston strategic advice.”
The Leave.EU communications director Andy Wigmore added that he will be “on ground” in New Zealand “causing trouble”.
“Mischief, mayhem and guerrilla warfare in the New Zealand election – the bad boys are back,” he said.
Peters has denied having signed a deal with Banks, saying not only has he not hired a crew but he would not know how they would gain entry to New Zealand given its strict border measures.
He said the party would not comment further on “this rubbish”.
New Zealand has been widely praised for its response to the coronavirus pandemic. The country began restricting its borders before there were any reported cases there, and took some of the strictest regulations in the world.
The country is largely back to “normal” now, with minimal social distancing. However borders remain closed to foreigners for now.
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