NIGEL Farage, the leader of UKIP, has congratulated Wycombe MP Steve Baker for voting against the Government on an EU referendum – but only after a message on his behalf had blasted the Parliamentarian.

Mr Baker was one of 81 Tory rebels who defied David Cameron in a House of Commons vote this week on giving the country a vote on the UK's position in the European Union.

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But a press release sent to the Bucks Free Press from the office of Mr Farage, one of ten South East England's European MPs, mistakenly criticised Mr Baker the day after.

A statement from Mr Farage, who unsuccessfully ran to become Princes Risborough's MP at the last General Election, said: “Despite two thirds of the people in this country expressing the view that they want to change our relationship with the EU to one simply of free trade and friendship, our MPs have other ideas.

“Sadly, for the people of Wycombe who voted for Steven Baker MP, cast iron guarantees have turned to rust.”

However, Mr Farage's office has apologised to Mr Baker, saying this original message had been sent incorrectly. It stressed the message was not from Mr Farage himself.

It then released the following statement from Mr Farage, which it said should have been sent originally.

“May I offer my congratulations to Steve Baker MP for standing up for the constituents of Wycombe and voting in favour of a referendum on our membership of the European Union,” it read.

“In doing what he did on Monday night he has demonstrated that he puts his country before his party and his career.”