Nigel Farage faced mockery over the timing of his New Year message after teasing its release for 9 am. The Reform UK leader shared a five-minute video promoting hope, which led to jokes about the party’s potential connections to Russia following the imprisonment of its former leader in Wales for accepting Russian bribes.
Labour MP Jonathan Brash humorously questioned whether Farage’s announcement of the message’s timing referred to Britain’s time zone or Moscow time. In a brief quip, Brash asked, “GMT or Moscow time?”
In his New Year address, Farage criticized the Government, expressed concerns about educational teachings, criticized net zero policies, and highlighted fears of wearing jewelry in public. He also warned about potential repercussions for viewing inappropriate content on Facebook, while promoting Reform as the party offering hope and encouraging people to join the right-wing group.
The joke by Mr. Brash served as a reminder of Reform’s recent challenges. Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform in Wales, was sentenced to over 10 years in prison for accepting bribes to promote pro-Russia narratives in the European Parliament. Gill, who previously served as an MEP for UKIP and the Brexit Party under Farage’s leadership, resigned from Reform after an unsuccessful bid in the 2021 Senedd election.
Gill, from North Wales, received payments from a former Ukrainian MP associated with Russian security services. Keir Starmer also addressed Reform’s alleged ties to Russia during a recent Prime Minister’s Questions session, making light-hearted remarks about the party’s situation.
Farage had previously dismissed the need to investigate Russian influences within his party, stating that Reform is not a policing entity. However, he welcomed the idea of a national inquiry into potential foreign interference in UK politics, expressing support for transparency and acknowledging doubts on all sides.
MPs, including Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice, reacted with laughter during the parliamentary exchange, underscoring the ongoing scrutiny facing Reform UK amid concerns of foreign financial interference in British politics.