Who is Annabelle Fuller? Former Ukip aide who had 12-year affair with Nigel Farage

NIGEL Farage has been accused of lying about an affair with aide Annabelle Fuller which lasted more than a decade.

Here's everything we know about Ms Fuller who claims she had an on-off sexual relationship with the married former Ukip boss from 2005 until last year.

Who is Annabelle Fuller?

Fuller began as a Ukip parliamentary researcher after completing a Master's degree in international relations aged 23.

She was his press aide in the successful leadership bid in 2010, and helped Ukip's European election campaign four years later in which they won 24 seats.

Mrs Fuller was publicly accused of sleeping with the ex-Ukip leader in 2014 after Nikki Sinclaire, a former MEP for the party, branded her his “former mistress” in a speech.

She now works in a pub near Bath, Somerset.

What has Ms Fuller said about their affair?

Fuller said she had been sleeping with Farage - more than 17 years her senior - until October last year.

She met married Farage two weeks into the job but didn't recall an instant attraction.

But she told the Mail On Sunday he had a "wicked sense of humour" and the "best political stories".

She claims they first slept together in 2005 during his unsuccessful bid to become an MP for South Thanet.

Farage quipped the morning after that her "ass looked beautiful in the moonlight", Fuller revealed.

The ex-aide told the Mail on Sunday the tryst drove her to self harm and suicide attempts and caused her to suffer from PTSD and depression.

She said: "Right from the beginning, lying about the affair was a strategy we decided on.

"He told me I had to keep quiet. I said to him, 'Do you have any idea how painful it is for me?', and he would say 'Yes'."

Farage, who has four children, would not leave his wife Kirsten and wanted to protect his political goals.

Ms Fuller continued: "Nigel and I both knew we had to keep quiet to save Brexit.

"We are both liars and hypocrites but the reason I had to lie throughout the years was that I didn't want Ukip or the cause we were fighting for to be damaged."

Although she worked on the European election campaign, she was thrown out of a celebration party in London.

This left her feeling "ashamed" and caused her to self-harm.

The day after they last slept together Fuller said she attempted suicide in a ladies' toilet of the European Parliament.

What has Farage said about the affair?

Farage split from his wife Kirsten in February and was rumoured to be living with French politician Laure Ferrari.

Issuing a statement in response to the claims, Farage said: "At the time of Ms Fuller's employment the party did not know there was a history of mental illness and other serious personal issues.

"I always tried to help her, recognising that she had ability, and prevented her from being fired on several occasions."

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