There are some embarrassing things you can do as a politician. Heaven knowns the road to Westminster is paved with scandal. But we reckon ‘getting rattled by Keir Starmer’ is right up there, and Nigel Farage has made the decision to duck PMQs on Wednesday.
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Why is Nigel Farage not at PMQs?
In an extraordinary turn of events, the Reform leader has rejected the chance to take his seat in the House of Commons. Instead of attending Parliament at midday, he will appear on Times Radio at the same time, to take part in their ‘PMQs Unpacked’ show.
Taking to social media earlier this morning, Farage claims that he would only ‘be abused by a failing Prime Minister’, and suggested that he would be denied any right of reply. His thin-skinned reasoning has drawn derision online, with Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr questioning his logic.
“I don’t want to keep talking about Nigel Farage, but I find it extraordinary that a man who is telling people he will be the next Prime Minister avoids the Houses of Parliament during PMQs in order to casually chat to radio hosts just a few miles away.” | Nigel Farage
Fear of Keir? Reform leader ducks showdown with PM
As an elected MP, Nigel Farage is essentially bankrolled by the taxpayer to attend these sessions. In recent months, the right-wing firebrand has bemoaned a ‘lack of opportunities’ to pose his own questions to the Prime Minister, lashing out at the Parliamentary process.
On the odd occasion he has gone head-to-head with Sir Keir, the Labour leader has made Nigel his punchline. Rather than taking these in good humour, Mr. Farage has thrown a few of his toys out of the pram, and will now watch this week’s PMQs from a studio. Talk about ‘woke madness’.
Nigel Farage lambasted for ‘withdrawing question’ on Tuesday
Labour MPs have also called-out Brexit’s biggest backer for failing to show up in Parliament yesterday – even when was selected to ask a question to the Energy Department. Instead, Nigel Farage opted to withdraw his query, passing up the opportunity to hold the government to account.
There’s just no winning with some folk…