The party leader conceded the taxation reforms would 'cost a lot of money' but said cutting ties with Brussels would save Britain £10 billion a year and insisted ending the controversial new rail route and curbing foreign aid spending would cover the rest of the bill.

Mr Farage is going after the 'blue collar' vote and has put tax overhaul at the heart of Ukip's new manifesto, which is being unveiled at the party's conference in Doncaster - the town Labour leader Ed Miliband represents.

But the gathering, which is the largest Ukip has staged, will be overshadowed by events in Westminster following the recall of Parliament to vote on military action against Islamic State.

Mr Farage suggested the debate had been deliberately timed to push Ukip's conference down the news agenda.

He told ITV1's Good Morning Britain: 'I think there is an element, perhaps, in the Government's planning, that said today suited them. It certainly doesn't suit Ukip.

'I'm suggesting the Government could have discussed the security of our nation in Parliament yesterday, which was a completely free day.'