Nigel Farage chose to back the DUP’s Ian Paisley and Sammy Wilson because they’re his “old beer buddies”, Ben Habib has said.
But the co-deputy leader of Reform UK has insisted that his party’s support of the TUV still stands.
It comes after Mr Farage said he will be personally endorsing the two DUP candidates in the General Election - despite his party’s alliance with the rival TUV.
Speaking to the BBC Good Morning Ulster programme, Mr Habib denied that the situation was a mess.
“The reality is that Ian Paisley and Sammy Wilson are old beer buddies of Nigel’s,” he said.
“Nigel has obviously got a hell of a lot on his plate, taking over as leader, trying to get his legs under the desk and they asked him for a personal endorsement and he said ‘yeah, sure’.
“It is one buddy to another without having really thought through the party position.”
But Mr Habib added that “Reform UK supports unequivocally Jim Allister”.
“Ian Paisley and Sammy tapped him on the shoulder at a time when Nigel was obviously busy,” he said.
“Being friends he gave them his personal endorsement and that is the end of it.”
Mr Paisley’s friendship with Mr Farage that has seen them meet over drinks would have been in opposition to his father, the late Ian senior, who was tee-total and famously referred to alcoholic drink as the ‘devil’s buttermilk’.
Mr Paisley is the DUP candidate in North Antrim, where he will be challenged by TUV leader Jim Allister.
Mr Wilson is running in the East Antrim constituency, where the TUV candidate is Matthew Warwick.
The TUV formed an electoral alliance with Reform UK ahead of July’s poll and is standing in 14 constituencies in Northern Ireland.
Mr Habib added that he feels Reform UK were “forced into party politics” in Northern Ireland due to “issues with the Irish Sea Border” - giving Mr Allister their support due to his stance on it.
“Jim Allister has absolutely got Reform UK’s 100% support,” he said.
