The claim has two components: (1) that UKIP attracted classical liberals, and (2) that those classical liberals "hate the big state." Both are well-supported. **On UKIP attracting classical liberals:** Multiple sources confirm that UKIP did attract libertarian/classical liberal supporters, particularly in its earlier years. A 2011 blog post from a UKIP member (Harry Aldridge) explicitly argued that UKIP had libertarian underpinnings and attracted "classical liberal" members. An academic article in *Taylor & Francis* (2024) noted that "UKIP was originally pitched as a party of libertarian political actors that campaigned against supra-national bureaucracy and unaccountability." Libertarian Home (2012) hosted discussions about whether UKIP was a "comfortable home for libertarians," confirming that such people were indeed drawn to the party. Farage himself publicly described his party as wanting "a smaller government." **On classical liberals "hating the big state":** This is essentially definitional. Classical liberalism is defined by belief in limited government, individual liberty, and free markets. Opposing "the big state" is a core tenet of classical liberalism, as confirmed by the academic sources above. While "hate" is a colloquial and emotionally charged word, the substantive assertion—that classical liberals strongly oppose large government—is accurate by definition. **Important caveat:** UKIP's overall voter base was far broader than just classical liberals, and multiple sources (The Independent, Reason, academic analyses) argued UKIP was not genuinely libertarian, citing its anti-immigration stance, calls for increased defense spending, and social conservatism. However, Farage did not claim all UKIP supporters were classical liberals—he explicitly said the party attracted a "diverse range" including "patriotic Old Labour" and "traditional Tories" in addition to classical liberals. The narrow claim that UKIP *did pick up* classical liberals who oppose big government is accurate. Sources: - Witterings from Witney blog (Harry Aldridge, UKIP member), "Should UKIP be a Libertarian Party?" (April 2011): http://witteringwitney.blogspot.com/2011/04/should-ukip-be-libertarian-party.html - Libertarian Home, "Video: Is UKIP a comfortable home for libertarians?" (July 2012): https://libertarianhome.co.uk/2012/07/12/video-is-ukip-a-comfortable-home-for-libertarians/ - The Independent, "Ukip are by no means libertarian" (archived): https://web.archive.org/web/20170701114941/http:/www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/ukip-are-by-no-means-libertarian-8424411.html - Reason, "UKIP Pulls Libertarians in the Wrong Direction" (June 2012): https://reason.com/2012/06/07/ukip-pulls-libertarians-in-the-wrong-dir/ - Taylor & Francis, "Measuring libertarian ideology with party manifesto data" (2024): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13569775.2024.2432187 - Xanthippa's Chamberpot, "UKIP's Nigel Farage – 'We want a smaller government'" (May 2011): http://blog.xanthippas.com/2011/05/27/ukips-nigel-farage-we-want-a-smaller-government/