Former Smiths musician Johnny Marr appeared to quash rumours that he and Morrissey could be set to reunite as he joked Nigel Farage could join the band to play guitar.

Marr, who played guitar in the influential band, was responding to speculation on a Morrissey fan forum that a reunion tour for the Smiths was “closer than ever to becoming a reality”.

Asked directly by a fan about the rumours on Twitter, Marr responded: “Nigel Farage on guitar.”

Marr appeared to be making a reference to Morrissey’s increasingly strident political statements, which have seen him support Brexit Party leader Mr Farage and more recently the far-right party For Britain.

Rumours of a reunion have been near constant since Marr left the band in 1987, but he and Morrissey have repeatedly said they have little interest.

Morrissey performing during filming of the Graham Norton Show
Morrissey (Isabel Infantes/PA)

Marr, who once tweeted to “forbid” David Cameron to like the Smiths, said in an interview with Sky News in 2016 that Morrissey’s pro-Farage views would also be “a slight drawback” to any possibly reunion.

Morrissey hit the headlines again last month when he performed at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles wearing a vest which bore the slogan “f*** the Guardian”, as he claims the newspaper is running an “inexhaustible hate campaign” against him.