Sir Keir Starmer launched a blistering attack on Nigel Farage during Prime Minister's Questions today, demanding the Reform UK leader apologise for his "disgraceful" defence of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
The Labour leader seized on comments made by Farage last week where he claimed the West's "ever-eastward expansion of NATO and the European Union" had "given Putin a reason" to invade Ukraine.
Explosive PMQs Confrontation
In a heated exchange that left the Commons stunned, Starmer declared: "When a Putin apologist is given a platform in our democracy, it falls to responsible politicians across this House to call that out."
He directly challenged Farage to retract his remarks, stating they had "caused huge offence" to Ukrainian families who have lost loved ones in the conflict.
Rishi Sunak Joins Condemnation
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak backed Starmer's position, labelling Farage's comments "completely wrong" and affirming that "Putin and Putin alone is responsible for Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine."
The rare moment of cross-party unity highlighted the severity of Farage's controversial stance, which has drawn condemnation from across the political spectrum.
Farage's Defence Backfires
Despite attempting to clarify his position, Farage has only deepened the controversy. His claims about Western provocation echo Kremlin talking points and have been widely criticised as dangerous rhetoric that plays into Putin's hands.
The Reform UK leader now faces mounting pressure to fully withdraw his comments as the political fallout continues to grow.
This dramatic confrontation comes just weeks before the General Election, positioning defence policy and Britain's stance on Ukraine as key battleground issues that could sway undecided voters.
