To the House of Commons, where today Reform’s Nigel Farage made his maiden speech after returning from Milwaukee’s RNC. Attempting a number of times to gain access to the Commons, Farage was successful on his eighth shot this election – and this afternoon’s speech shows he’s wasting no time getting down to business.
In his characteristically caustic fashion, Farage was quick to hit out at his parliamentary colleagues – taking special care to focus on Labour’s lefty lot. ‘This is very much a Remainers parliament,’ Farage proclaimed, before adding cynically: ‘I suspect in many cases it’s really a rejoiners parliament.’ Oo er. With prominent leavers from Jacob Rees-Mogg to Penny Mordaunt losing their seats at the election, Nige does have a point. According to Mr S’s notes, Starmer’s cabinet is almost totally united in having supported the Remain campaign back in 2016 – and Sir Keir Starmer has certainly been quick to talk about a ‘reset’ in EU relations…
Flanked by Red Wall rottweiler Lee Anderson and deputy party leader Richard Tice, Farage went on:
Perhaps the Labour party might want to reflect themselves on the last period of Labour government, where we had home secretaries like David Blunkett far, far to the right of the shadow home secretary today. You came to Britain illegally during the last Labour government, your feet didn’t touch the sides, you were gone, you were out.
He continued:
In the last year of the Labour government, from 2009-10, 50,000 people who came here illegally were deported. Now, none of that happens anymore. It didn’t happen under 14 years of the Conservatives, and clearly isn’t going to happen under this Labour government.
Calling for a referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Convention on Human Rights, the Reform UK leader told the Chamber that the ECHR had ‘now completely outlived its usefulness’. Touting his plan as the solution for our migration woes, Farage told MPs that this would be the only way Britain would be able to stop the boats.
‘Let’s face it,’ Labour’s Lola McEvoy admitted when Farage finished up, ‘that was quite a polished contribution that he’s had 21 years to prepare for – so thank you to him.’ ‘Fair point!’ Farage shouted back. Talk about good-spirited debate, eh?
Nige has helpfully clipped his maiden speech for Twitter. You can watch it here:
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