Rock band Rage against the Machine have sent a legal letter to former Ukip leader Nigel Farage demanding he change the name of his podcast, Farage Against the Machine.
In the cease-and-desist letter, obtained by US celebrity website The Blast, the band’s lawyers inform Mr Farage his podcast name and logo ‘brazenly and unlawfully exploits our client’s name and logo,’ and that the ‘implication of any endorsement by our client of you or your policies is particularly abhorrent.’
It adds: ‘RATM has publicly denounced the type of right-wing ideology you espouse for decades; in fact, that has been an integral part of the band’s identity and purpose.
‘Your anti-immigrant rhetoric, lack of social compassion and barely disguised racism and xenophobia are the antithesis of what RATM stands for. Thus, your surprising attempt to associate yourself with RATM is wholly inappropriate and completely inexplicable, unless it’s part of some kind of bizarre cleansing ritual.
“Whatever the motivation, please stop.Stop using RATM’s name and logo, change the name of your podcast and find some other target to troll. We suggest President Trump.’
The lawyers demand Mr Farage change the name of his podcast and stop using all marketing, promotion and advertising with everything that ‘falsely associates you, your colleagues at LBC and Fox, and your far-right political views with RATM.’
The show, which has been running since March, is hosted by LBC, for whom Mr Farage hosts an evening political phone-in show.
Mr Farage has yet to comment.
It comes just days after he said he would “seriously consider” a fourth stint as Ukip leader if Brexit was not “back on track” by March.
Speaking on his LBC rphone-in, Mr Farage said: ‘I’ve already said that if Article 50 gets suspended beyond March 29, I will put myself back into full-time campaigning.
‘I will add to that tonight. Gerard Batten, who is the leader of Ukip and has my confidence and support – his term as leader comes to an end in March of next year.
‘There will be a leadership contest within Ukip in March next year. If Brexit is not back on track, if we’re not actually going to be leaving and if this Chequers agreement has not been broken, I will very seriously consider putting my name forward to run as leader of Ukip again.
‘I can assure any Conservatives listening to this, sitting in marginal seats, who are not prepared to stand up and honour the wishes of the electorate, I will make damn sure in that situation that you all lose your seats.
‘Because there are millions of Conservative voters very unhappy indeed.’
Mr Farage served as Ukip leader between 2006 and 2009, and returned to the job between 2010 and 2016.
He took up the reins for a third time in September and October 2016 after Diane James’s surprise resignation after 18 days as leader.
Most popular
Alastair Campbell’s Diary: Disappointing Greta Thunberg and a night out with the Kinnocks
Mandrake: Facing the fury of Nadine Dorries
