Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has been accused of physically shoving a female Liberal Democrat MP during the state opening of Parliament earlier this year. The claim was made by Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper after Mr Farage said he had skipped John Healey's Budget to avoid a possible physical altercation in the Commons.
Farage's Prayer Card Removed
Mr Farage claimed his parliamentary prayer card, which MPs use to reserve a seat in the chamber, had been removed on Wednesday. He told a post-Budget press conference that he wanted to avoid conflict in the chamber, after claiming he had been involved in an altercation with another MP at the state opening of Parliament on May 13.
A House of Commons spokesperson later said that Mr Farage's prayer card was removed because it did not have a valid time stamp. The Liberal Democrats indicated that one of their MPs was the other person involved in the May altercation.
Cooper's Account of the Incident
Asked by Sky News whether there was an incident at the state opening, Ms Cooper said: "There was, and it was during the state opening of Parliament. My understanding – I didn't see it, I wasn't there – but my understanding is that he physically shoved one of our female MPs out of the way, and that one of our male MPs then challenged him on that. I didn't see it, I didn't witness what happened, but that was several months ago."
She added: "And let's be really clear: it's Reform UK that had a problem at their conference with bundling female journalists and members out of their hall. So, we'll take no lessons from them on this."
Cooper and Jenrick Respond
Ms Cooper had earlier told Sky that Mr Farage had every opportunity to submit his prayer card and secure a space in Parliament, but as leader of a very small party he would have had to wait several hours to speak. She said: "He basically decided that he couldn't be arsed to sit in the chamber and listen to the Chancellor's speech and everybody else responding, and instead chose to go and do a press conference so he could get onto the airwaves. That's the choice that he has made, and he should just come clean about that."
Reform's Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick told Sky: "You know what? I am sick to death of these pathetic Westminster debates. The thing about Reform politicians is, yeah, we love Parliament, the institution of Parliament. I go there every day. I speak in Parliament. I represent my constituents. But I'm much more interested about, actually, the issues, trying to change this country, getting out and about outside of the bubble. And I'm not interested in even responding, dignifying the nonsense that Daisy Cooper is talking about there."
Reform UK was contacted for comment.
