Nigel Farage has condemned “liberal intolerance” in the wake of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
The former president was shot at as he addressed a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump posted on his social media site, Truth Social, after receiving hospital treatment.
“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening,” Trump wrote.
The suspected shooter, who has been named as 20-year-old Matthew Crooks, was shot dead at the scene.
Prime minister Keir Starmer has said he is “appalled” by the incident, while US president Joe Biden described the attack as “sick”.
On the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg this morning, Farage said his friend Trump had “got away with it” and blamed his political opponents for creating an atmosphere where such an incident could occur.
He said: “The narrative that is put out there about Trump by the liberals who oppose him is so nasty, is so unpleasant, that I think it almost encourages this type of behaviour.
“It was just a few weeks ago that Joe Biden said that Trump must be put in the bullseye. We talked earlier about social media and that’s quite right, there are some things that are said on social media that aren’t acceptable.
“But there is also a mainstream media narrative and I’m afraid it’s very, very one-sided. The BBC is a part of this in this country. I’ve faced continual attacks for over a decade. Now, because it’s me, no one cares. In fact, it’s even funny.
“One of the many times that I had a drink thrown at me, one of the comedians on a BBC show said ‘why not battery acid’. I find the fact that that individual, Jo Brand, is still on BBC programmes, pretty appalling.
“We’ve got [David] Aaronovitch, who does programmes on Radio 4, who said recently the best way for Democrats to deal with Trump is to have him shot. He says now that was a joke.
“I do think liberal intolerance is increasingly a part of this problem.”
He added: “There is a narrative that has been built up for many, many years. People hate me, not because of what I’ve said, not because of what I’ve done, but because of things that are broadcast about me on radio stations, TV channels regulated by Ofcom or the BBC itself and I’ve lived with this for a very, very long time.
“I think all MPs from all sides now are increasingly at risk, but I do think mainstream media has a lot to do with this.”