Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Nigel Farage branded ‘racist’ by heckler during first speech as MP after Reform victory

Former Ukip leader came under fire at his own press conference after his new Reform UK party won five seats at the general election

Alex Ross,Kate Devlin
Friday 05 July 2024 14:53 EDT
Comments
Nigel Farage heckled by several protesters during first speech as MP

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Nigel Farage was heckled and accused of being a racist at a victory press conference after his party won five seats in the general election.

Amid chaotic scenes, a total of seven people had to be escorted out of the central London venue.

The fracas came as the Reform UK leader claimed his party had triggered a “political earthquake”.

Wild scenes at Farage’s press conference after his party took five seats
Wild scenes at Farage’s press conference after his party took five seats (EPA)

After helping to make dozens of Tory MPs redundant, he warned Sir Keir Starmer his party’s focus was now on going “after Labour votes”.

Although they took less than a handful of seats, Reform secured millions of votes across the country.

In many seats the Reform vote was higher than the Labour or the Liberal Democrat majority.

In the end, the upstart party helped Labour to win more than 400 seats.

The press conference was designed as a victory lap, to publicise Reform’s claim it would now be the official opposition to Labour “in the country”.

But it had barely got underway when members of the audience started heckling Mr Farage.

Nigel Farage outlined his desire to make changes to the party during his speech
Nigel Farage outlined his desire to make changes to the party during his speech (Sky News)

They accused Mr Farage of being a racist, no friend to working people and wanting to dismantle the NHS. As one man started shouting at him, Mr Farage, famously a large drinker, asked him: “Are you downwind a couple already? You’ve had a bigger lunch than I have.”

He also questioned if the group were actors – a nod to a Reform canvasser filmed using a racial slur to describe former prime minister Rishi Sunak.

Mr Farage has accused Channel 4 News of using an actor as a “plant” in its undercover investigation into his campaign.

At the event, Mr Farage gave a “100 per cent promise” to rid Reform of “bad apples”, after the party had to suspend multiple candidates during the election.

A heckler is removed by security after disrupting the Reform leader’s speech
A heckler is removed by security after disrupting the Reform leader’s speech (Getty)

He said: “Above all what we’re going to do from today is we’re going to professionalise the party, we’re going to democratise the party, and those few bad apples that have crept in will be gone, will be long gone, and we will never have any of their type back in our organisation.

“You have a 100 per cent promise on that.”

He added: “Old Labour was very, very patriotic. It believed in the country. It believed in its people. New Labour far less so.”

Several hecklers attacked Reform after an election campaign dogged by controversies
Several hecklers attacked Reform after an election campaign dogged by controversies (Getty)

Mr Farage also denied he was going to Westminster to “behave terribly”. But he said he would challenge conventions after being elected as an MP for the first time on his eighth attempt.

He said: “We’re not going in to behave terribly or anything like that, but certainly going in to challenge conventions and certainly going in believing that the broad church that is the Conservative Party that currently has no religion, simply won’t be able to provide any sort of challenge at all.

“And we may be fewer in number but we’re absolutely united in what we believe in and what we stand for.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in