The Reform leader defended his controversial visit to Portman Road, which prompted criticism from many of the Suffolk club's fans, and said every Premier League and Championship club should want to meet him.

He made his remarks during a trip to the Norfolk Showground on Tuesday night, where his party held a rally.

Nigel Farage is understood to have been gifted six shirts by the club (Image: Reform UK)

He acknowledged his trip to Ipswich last week, during which he posted a video of him touring Portman Road, had "caused a stir in East Anglia".

The clip saw him pose with Ipswich Town shirts with "Farage 10" on the back, visit the club's media room and stand on the pitch side.

After days of criticism from fans saying the club should not have hosted the politician, chairman Mark Ashton released his own video in which he "unreservedly apologised".

Mr Farage was unapologetic.

"These are hard left lunatics, they're deeply intolerant - it's all part of cancel culture," he said.

Mr Farage walking through the tunnel (Image: Reform UK)

He revealed he had travelled to Portman Road to discuss Reform's opposition to the government's independent football regulator, which was introduced last year to oversee clubs' financial conduct and test the suitability of owners.

The watchdog has also revealed plans to devise a new code of governance, with clubs having to show what they are doing to tackle under-representation of minorities and increase their focus on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

"I went to Ipswich because Mark Ashton wanted to meet me to talk about football regulations," he said.

"Frankly, every Premier League club and Championship club should want to meet me and talk to me.

"They got bombarded with hate.

Mr Farage standing by the side of the Portman Road pitch (Image: Reform UK)

"That's what the mob do - they frighten people. It shows you how nasty the country is.

"I'm not going to pick a fight with Mark, I don't need to do that.

"But he comes under pressure, they start getting abuse. This is how people react because they thought they had to."

The humiliation heaped on the Tractor Boys was met with relish from many Canaries fans.

Even Norwich City itself mocked the row with a post on social media advertising stadium tours and noted that "terms and conditions most definitely apply".

© Norwich Evening News