Nigel Farage has been ridiculed after staging a stunt in Prime Minister's Questions, where he sat in the public gallery instead of the MPs' benches. The Reform UK leader complained on social media that he is attacked during PMQs but has no right of reply, branding himself a 'mere spectator'. However, MPs pointed out that questions are selected by a randomised ballot, and that Farage often misses parliamentary sessions to travel to the US.
At the first PMQs after the summer, Keir Starmer criticised Farage for missing the session to 'badmouth Britain' in the US. Farage responded by saying, 'Every week at PMQs I am attacked by the PM and Labour MPs, but have no right of reply. I am just a mere spectator. So I have decided to spectate from the public gallery today instead.'
Trade minister Sir Chris Bryant said, 'The thing is Farage has always been a spectator happy to complain about the other players or the umpire but never take responsibility for the failures of his own policies.' A Labour source added, 'Nigel Farage and his Reform MPs only turn up to parliament for social media clips.'
One Labour MP told The Mirror, 'He's hardly ever here so he's trying to play smart. But MPs and the public are not that stupid. He needs to be in Parliament in the chamber because that's what he is elected to do.' Another Labour MP said, 'He’s obviously still unfamiliar with how PMQs work. Must be due to him hardly being there. Why doesn’t he bob like other backbenchers?'
A Lib Dem spokeswoman commented, 'It’s not the first time Farage has made a habit of looking down on people.' Farage had previously whined about not being able to speak during PMQs, saying, 'Yet another session of PMQs where I get mentioned but can't respond. There is not much point me even being there.'
