Activists lower Vladimir Putin banner behind Nigel Farage as he gives a speech

Farage once said Putin was the leader 'he admired most'

Farage was speaking in front of an audience when the banner which had 'I love Nigel Farage' alongside a picture of Putin giving a thumbs up.

The Reform UK leader initially didn't spot the banner until it had been fully unveiled but was incensed - as were the rest of the audience - and called for it to be taken down.

Farage a long-term admirer of Putin

The activists behind the stunt were 'Led by Donkeys' - a group who have claimed responsibility on several other pieces of art holding the conservative government accountable.

Their motive behind this performance comes in the wake of Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak calling out their rival for claiming that west provoked Putin into giving the orders for Russia to launch a full-scale invasion on Ukraine.

During an earlier BBC Panorama interview, Farage said the war was "of course" Putin's fault but claimed the expansion of the EU and Nato had given him a reason to tell the Russian people "they're coming for us again".

He's also previously stated that Putin is the leader "he admired most".

Responding to those accusations, Farage said: "I said I disliked him as a person, but I admired him as a political operator because he's managed to take control of running Russia.

"We provoked this war. It's, you know, of course it's his fault - he's used what we've done as an excuse."