article: Nigel Farage's campaigning got off to a faltering start today as he missed a Ukip event after getting stuck in traffic. The Ukip leader was expected at a farm in Staffordshire, as he prepared to attack the government over defence spending, but organisers pulled the plug while he was trapped in his chauffeur-driven car. Mr Farage faced ridicule last year when he blamed immigrants clogging up the M4 after he missed an event charging supporters £25-a-head to meet him. Nigel Farage's campaigning got off to a faltering start today as he missed a Ukip event after getting stuck in traffic. He did manage to make an appearance at an event in Carrick (pictured) Mr Farage is under pressure to show his election campaign is on track after polls showed a slump in support in Ukip and suggested he might struggle to win his own seat in South Thanet. He had hoped to use a return to the campaign trail after the bank holiday weekend to highlight Ukip's call to spend 2 per cent of gross domestic product on defence. But he missed the farm visit in Staffordshire after suffering travel delays, according to a party spokesman. In December the Ukip leader was branded 'silly and dangerous' after claiming high levels of immigration caused problems on the roads. He claimed he arrived too late for a £25-a-head drinks reception in Port Talbot because the UK's 'open door immigration' policy meant that the M4 'is not as navigable as it used to be'. He insisted the no-show was 'nothing to do with professionalism' amid claims Ukip was struggling to cope with increased scrutiny and demands on his time. 'In all these years in Ukip that's probably about the third event out of a thousand that I haven't made in time,' he said in December. Mr Farage had hoped to use a return to the campaign trail after the bank holiday weekend to highlight Ukip's call to spend 2 per cent of gross domestic product on defence . Meanwhile Mr Farage now is battling to fend off an alarming slump in the polls for Ukip - with support falling by a quarter in less than six months. The Ukip leader has seen support for his party drop from 16.75 per cent in November to just 12.25 per cent today, with voters appearing to switch to the Tories in the run up to the election. Mr Farage is also facing a fight to win his own election battle after falling behind the Tories in Thanet South, Kent - despite enjoying a 12 point lead over his Conservative rival just two months ago. He will visit the West Midlands later where he is expected to condemn rising aid budgets under David Cameron and will accuse both Labour and the Conservatives of abandoning the military covenant. Speaking ahead of a visit to the West Midlands, Mr Farage had said: 'I am really looking forward to coming again to the West Midlands. It is the heartland of England.' He is due to give a speech at the Copthorne Hotel in Brierley Hill in the Black Country this evening. Ukip  has seen its support slump from 16.75 per cent in November to just 12.25 per cent today with voters appearing to switch to the Tories in the run up to the election . Mr Farage is facing a fight to win his own election battle after falling behind the Tories in South Thanet, Kent - despite enjoying a 12 point lead of his Conservative rival just two months ago . In a direct attack on the Prime Minister, the Ukip leader will add: 'No previous Conservative prime minister in history would have countenanced sanctioning continual rises in foreign aid giveaways while at the same time pursuing a programme of continual cuts in defence.' A Conservative Party spokesman said Mr Farage was 'playing politics with the military in a calculated and completely irresponsible way'. He added: 'We've balanced the defence budget after inheriting a truly enormous black hole from Labour. We have the second largest defence budget in Nato after the United States and will spend over £160 billion in the next decade on new military equipment. 'It comes down to this: you can only have strong armed forces if you have a strong economy first. That's exactly what this Government is delivering. Ukip would put that at risk - making it up as they go along and letting Ed Miliband into Downing Street by the back door.'
highlights: Jams mean Ukip leader forced to pull the plug on farm visit in Staffordshire .
  Last year blamed 'open door immigration' for getting stuck in traffic on M4 .
  Plans to attack the Tories over refusal to spend 2% of GDP on defence .
prediction: Nigel 
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   stuck 
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   The Ukip leader was expected at a farm in Staffordshire, as he 
   attack the government over defence spending 
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   pulled 
   plug 
   was trapped 
   chauffeur 
   driven car 
   faced ridicule last year 
   he blamed immigrants clogging up the M4 
   missed an event 
   supporters £ 25 - a - head to 
   appearance 
   Carrick 
   Mr Farage is under pressure to show his election campaign is on track after polls 
   a slump in support in Ukip 
   win 
   Thanet 
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