Nigel Farage has insisted he was tricked into saying ‘up the RA’ in a personalised birthday message online.

The former politician offers people personalised videos for a fee on the website Cameo.

In the birthday message, widely shared online in recent days, the Brexiteer wished Brian Ó Céileachair a happy birthday before finishing with the well-known Provisional IRA slogan.

He's not getting an invite to .@JimAllister Christmas party. pic.twitter.com/6C1MHG98fd

— WeeMan (@AntrimLens) October 10, 2021

Speaking to the Mail Online this afternoon, he said he thought it was an innocent joke between friends.

“If I saw 'up the RA' I would have looked at that as something very innocent and wouldn't have even known there was an implication to it,” he said.

“A lot of messages that I get are friends sending each other messages with their own little jokes or their own little words which I have to judge – and of course I reject some if they are crude or offensive.”

It is believed Mr Farage was paid £73 (€86) to read out the message.

'This message is for Brian Ó Céileachair, Brexiteer,' Mr Farage is seen saying in the clip.

'I hope you have a great birthday and this comes from your good friend Aidan.

Raising his cup of coffee, he says: “Now, it's a bit early in the day so all I've got actually is coffee, but I hope you enjoy a few pints with the lads tonight. Up the RA.'

This afternoon, he insisted that he would not have used the phrase if he understood what it meant.