Nigel Farage is chilling in America again… but he is skipping a major House of Commons statement on immigration.
The Reform boss is busy in the States being booked at several events, leaving Clacton residents missing representation in Parliament. This is despite MPs coming back from recess.
He is set to champion the case of Lucy Connolly when he shares her story with US officials. Connolly spent more than a year in prison after she encouraged rioters to burn down migrant hotels at the height of a period of civil unrest last summer.
He has also spoken at the National Conservatism conference in a bid to cosy up to Donald Trump’s allies in Washington DC.
Liberal Democrat source told the Mirror: “Nigel Farage is far more interested in pleasing Trump and jostling for his affections than he is in turning up to Parliament on time or standing up for British values.”
It comes after home secretary Yvette Cooper gave a statement to MPs on Monday bringing forward plans for new immigration rules this week to temporarily suspend new applications under the existing refugee family reunion route.
She said: “The current rules for family reunion for refugees were designed many years ago to help families separated by war, conflict and persecution.
“But the way they are now being used has changed.
“Even just before the pandemic, refugees who applied to bring family to the UK did so on average more than one or two years after they had been granted protection, long enough for them to be able to get jobs or find housing, or be able to provide their family with some support.
“In Denmark and Switzerland, those granted humanitarian protection are not able to apply to bring family for at least two years after protection has been granted.
“But here in the UK now, however, those applications come in on average in around a month after protection has been granted.”
Richard Tice and Lee Anderson were present.