Reform Leader Skips Budget Over Chamber Seating Conflict

Nigel Farage missed the Chancellor's first budget presentation in the House of Commons due to a dispute over seating arrangements. The Reform UK leader stated he avoided the chamber to prevent a physical altercation with another member of parliament. He cited the removal of a green prayer card from his reserved seat as the primary trigger for his absence.

During a press conference held after the budget speech, Farage explained that he chose to give parliament a wide berth. He noted that a similar incident had turned physical during the state opening of parliament, an event he did not want to repeat. He said the removal of his current prayer card signaled that another conflict was imminent. "I could see, given that my prayer card had been removed, I was heading towards another physical altercation," he said.

Farage listed a second reason for his absence. He said he spent the time reviewing the budget line by line with economists in his office. A spokesperson for the House of Commons clarified that the prayer card was removed because it lacked a valid date stamp. The spokesperson stated that this action followed long-established chamber protocols for reserving seats.

In his response to the budget, Farage expressed shock at the 10 billion pounds allocated to support Ukraine. Speaking alongside Robert Jenrick, the party's Treasury spokesperson, Farage said he could accept the amount if he was assured it would not be lost to corruption. He described himself as worried about the rationality of Vladimir Putin but emphasized his concern that the funds would be spent properly.

Farage defended his party's policy on cryptocurrency, which proposes cutting capital gains tax on crypto assets. He argued that a 10% tax rate would incentivize people to enter the regulated system. He maintained that this policy would not specifically benefit his major donors. He also criticized higher machine-games duty on gambling shops, warning it could drive the industry offshore or into crypto assets.

The Reform leader suggested that small budget giveaways indicated a general election might be held in May next year. He added that his party would be ready for an election as early as December. When asked about the 2022 budget under Liz Truss, which he had previously praised, Farage said he liked the top lines but misunderstood that spending was not cut. He stated that radical spending cuts would have allowed for greater tax reductions.

Farage addressed the conviction of Tommy Robinson for harassing journalists. He said Robinson's behavior had obviously been very wrong but suggested Reform members would not be penalized for admiring him. He noted that liking a social media message did not make someone a full-blown marcher in support of the cause. He also supported the UK's position in the war, despite his previous admiration for the Russian president and his 2024 suggestion that the west provoked the invasion.