MPs Clash Over Claims Farage Shoved Liberal Democrat in Commons

Accounts of an alleged shoving incident in the House of Commons drew conflicting claims from MPs across party lines on Thursday.

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, told reporters that he had been involved in a physical altercation with an MP in the chamber during the state opening of Parliament. He said he did not complain at the time but noticed his prayer card, a small paper used to reserve a Commons seat, had been removed, which he said put him on course for another confrontation.

Independent MP Rosie Duffield rejected the account, calling it "utter rubbish" and saying the chamber was not so crowded that Farage could not have found a seat. Conservative MP Alicia Kearns used the phrase "total bull" and noted that other Reform MPs could have yielded their seats to their leader.

Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden addressed Farage directly on X, writing, "And we both know that's not true Nigel don't we?" She added that she was still waiting for an apology she said he was required to write to her.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said that she understood two of her party's MPs were involved. "My understanding is that he physically shoved one of our female MPs out of the way, and that one of our male MPs then challenged him on that," Cooper said, adding she had not witnessed the incident herself. A Liberal Democrat spokesperson described Reform's account as "utter nonsense" and said Farage attempted to shove a woman MP.

Reform UK rejected the claim. A party spokesperson said Cooper's account was "not true at all" and said the Liberal Democrat MPs were the aggressive party toward Farage.

Robert Jenrick, asked about the incident on Sky News, said an unnamed Liberal Democrat MP got in Farage's way as Farage went about his work. The exchange unfolded in the days following Chancellor John Healey's Budget statement.

Farage was absent from the Commons benches when Healey delivered the Budget. He later explained his absence by referring to the altercation and the removal of his prayer card.