By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Nigel Farage today defended himself from claims he is one of Europe’s laziest politicians, insisting he works hard and deserves a lunchtime pint. The UKIP leader hit back after figures revealed his party rarely turns up to votes, committees or debates in Brussels. But Mr Farage said he was not elected to ‘go native’ and there was little point UKIP taking part in European Parliament votes which it stood no chance of winning. Pint: UKIP leader Nigel Farage denied he was lazy but worked 18-hour days and deserved a lunchtime drink . Official figures show UKIP’s 11 MEPs miss a third of all votes, twice the average across Europe. However Mr Farage said his party – which has seen a surge in support in recent months – was not expected to attend more often. He said: ‘My voters did not vote for me to go native.They didn’t vote for me to move to Brussels, they voted for me to campaign to get out of the European Union and that’s what I’m going to go on doing.' And he defended being regularly seen drinking in pubs instead of taking part in debates. Absent: UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall attends just 46 per cent of votes . ‘I’ll tell you something. I work an 18 hour day most days and I think I’m entitled at lunchtime to a pint,' he told ITV’s Daybreak. UKIP is predicted to win the most votes in next year’s European Parliament elections, despite David Cameron’s attempts to bolster Tory support with the promise of an in-out referendum by 2017. Mr Farage said that there was little point in UKIP taking part in votes in Brussels because they were outnumbered by pro-European politicians from across the EU. ‘When I do [vote] normally it will be 500 in favour and 15 against. We are not going to win. ‘We’re not going to stop legislation as UKIP in the European Parliament and the Tories that you talk about that are eurosceptics, yes, they have moved to Brussels. ‘They live in Brussels, they are there five days a week, how many other MEPs can you name? Very few people know their MEPs, that’s because they live in Brussels.’ Among British political parties, the Tories attend 80.4 per cent of votes, Labour 82.7 per cent and the Greens 84.8 per cent, the Daily Mirror said. The Lib Dems are the hardest working UK party in Brussels, attending 87 per cent of votes. Mr Farage is ranked fifth in the league table of MEPs with the worse attendance record, while deputy leader Paul Nuttal is fourth, after voting just 46 per cent of the time. Figures also show UKIP MEPs attend just 30 per cent of European Parliament committees . Mr Nuttall has turned up to only two of 56 meetings of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee since June 2010. Mr Farage attended only just one of 42 Fisheries Committee meetings in the three years to January 2013. He has since resigned. Votes: The Lib Dems are the hardest working British party in the European Parliament, turning up for 87 per cent of votes . Labour MP Grahame Morris said: ‘These figures prove Mr Farage is no Churchill — he's the leader of Europe's laziest party.’ Labour MEP leader Glenis Willmott told the Mirror: ‘They claim to be protecting British interests, but when decisions are made in committees, UKIP are nowhere to be seen. When crucial votes are taken, Nigel Farage leaves the chamber. Where's the British interest in that?’
UK Independence Party's 11 MEPs miss a third of votes in Parliament .
Party leader Nigel Farage says his supporters don't want him to 'go native'
Lib Dems are the hardest-working British party, turning up for 87% of votes .
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Nigel Farage today defended himself from claims he is one of Europe’s laziest politicians, insisting he works hard and deserves a lunchtime pint. The UKIP leader hit back after figures revealed his party rarely turns up to votes, committees or debates in Brussels. But Mr Farage said he was not elected to ‘go native’ and there was little point UKIP taking part in European Parliament votes which it stood no chance of winning. Pint: UKIP leader Nigel Farage denied he was lazy but worked 18-hour days and deserved a lunchtime drink . Official figures show UKIP’s 11 MEPs miss a third of all votes, twice the average across Europe. However Mr Farage said his party – which has seen a surge in support in recent months – was not expected to attend more often. He said: ‘My voters did not vote for me to go native.They didn’t vote for me to move to Brussels, they voted for me to campaign to get out of the European Union and that’s what I’m going to go on doing.' And he defended being regularly seen drinking in pubs instead of taking part in debates. Absent: UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall attends just 46 per cent of votes . ‘I’ll tell you something. I work an 18 hour day most days and I think I’m entitled at lunchtime to a pint,' he told ITV’s Daybreak. UKIP is predicted to win the most votes in next year’s European Parliament elections, despite David Cameron’s attempts to bolster Tory support with the promise of an in-out referendum by 2017. Mr Farage said that there was little point in UKIP taking part in votes in Brussels because they were outnumbered by pro-European politicians from across the EU. ‘When I do [vote] normally it will be 500 in favour and 15 against. We are not going to win. ‘We’re not going to stop legislation as UKIP in the European Parliament and the Tories that you talk about that are eurosceptics, yes, they have moved to Brussels. ‘They live in Brussels, they are there five days a week, how many other MEPs can you name? Very few people know their MEPs, that’s because they live in Brussels.’ Among British political parties, the Tories attend 80.4 per cent of votes, Labour 82.7 per cent and the Greens 84.8 per cent, the Daily Mirror said. The Lib Dems are the hardest working UK party in Brussels, attending 87 per cent of votes. Mr Farage is ranked fifth in the league table of MEPs with the worse attendance record, while deputy leader Paul Nuttal is fourth, after voting just 46 per cent of the time. Figures also show UKIP MEPs attend just 30 per cent of European Parliament committees . Mr Nuttall has turned up to only two of 56 meetings of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee since June 2010. Mr Farage attended only just one of 42 Fisheries Committee meetings in the three years to January 2013. He has since resigned. Votes: The Lib Dems are the hardest working British party in the European Parliament, turning up for 87 per cent of votes . Labour MP Grahame Morris said: ‘These figures prove Mr Farage is no Churchill — he's the leader of Europe's laziest party.’ Labour MEP leader Glenis Willmott told the Mirror: ‘They claim to be protecting British interests, but when decisions are made in committees, UKIP are nowhere to be seen. When crucial votes are taken, Nigel Farage leaves the chamber. Where's the British interest in that?’
said he was not elected to ‘go native’ and there winning. Pint: UKIP leader Nigel Farage denied he MEPs miss a third of all votes, twice the average Mirror said. The Lib Dems are the hardest working working British party in the European Parliament, turning up for 87 per cent of votes . Labour MP