Nigel Farage hit back at Ed Balls after the Good Morning Britain presenter made a jibe about his previous bids to get elected as an MP.
The former Labour MP grilled the ex-Ukip leader on his political future and asked if it would be “eighth time lucky”.
But Mr Farage pointed out how he won European elections leading Ukip and the Brexit Party.
He also highlighted the challenges posed for insurgent parties by the first past the post electoral system for Parliament.
The former MEP said: “Well I won two national elections Ed leading two different political parties running for the European Parliament under proportional representation. No one’s ever done that before.”
Pressed on whether he was getting “prickly”, Mr Farage went on: “No I’m not, I’m just giving you the facts.
“It’s all very easy for people like you that were elected to Parliament as members of the Labour Party to think, ‘oh aren’t we big and important, why can’t Farage get elected?’
“The first past the post system. I can attract millions of supporters and get very few seats. It’s not an easy system and that’s why for me this is a very big decision.”
Mr Farage, who is honorary president of Reform UK, said he would make a “big decision” on whether he will return to frontline politics in the coming weeks amid fevered speculation.
Asked about Liz Truss backing him to join the Tories, he said: “I’ve got no intention of joining this Conservative Party at this moment in time.
“I’ve absolutely no idea what they stand for on any issue at all, nor do they. We’re right at the fag end of 14 years of total failure.
“So it’s very sweet of Liz Truss to say that but I won’t be joining the Conservative Party. And in terms of what I may or may not do I simply haven’t yet decided but I notice that Reform is getting stronger and stronger and stronger.
“The hard thing is if you take on the established parties in the British political system you’ve got to overcome the first past the post voting system, not easy. I’m going to make a big decision on this within the next few weeks.”
