Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer unite to condemn Nigel Farage’s controversial comments on Ukraine, which have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum. Here’s the full story.
Crossing the Rubicon
Nigel Farage, the newly crowned leader of Reform UK who is no stranger to controversy, has seemingly crossed a political rubicon following his recent remarks in which he claimed that the West provoked Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Igniting a Firestorm
Farage’s remarks, made in a BBC Panorama interview, have been condemned by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer and have ignited a firestorm of criticism from across the political spectrum.
NATO and EU Expansion
In a BBC interview with Nick Robinson, Nigel Farage claimed that the West’s actions, particularly the expansion of NATO and the European Union, provided Russian President Vladimir Putin with a pretext to invade Ukraine.
Farage’s Foresight
Farage claimed that only he had the foresight to state “that the ever-eastward expansion of Nato and the European Union was giving this man a reason to his Russian people to say, ‘They’re coming for us again’ and to go to war.”
Provoking the War
Farage went on to say, “We provoked this war. It’s, you know, of course it’s his fault – he’s used what we’ve done as an excuse.”
Sunak Denounces Farage
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak quickly denounced Farage’s statements, stating, “What he (Mr Farage) said was completely wrong and only plays into Putin’s hands.”
Dangerous Appeasement
Sunak continued, “This is a man (Mr Putin) who deployed nerve agent on the streets of Britain, who is doing deals with countries like North Korea, and this kind of appeasement is dangerous for Britain’s security, the security of our allies that rely on us, and only emboldens Putin further.”
Starmer’s Disgraceful Criticism
Labour leader Keir Starmer also criticised Farage, describing his comments as “disgraceful,” and reiterating that Russia bears “sole responsibility” for the invasion of Ukraine.
Standing With Ukraine
Starmer stated, “Anyone who is standing for parliament ought to be really clear that Russia is the aggressor, Putin bears responsibility, and that we stand with Ukraine, as we have done from the beginning of this conflict. Parliament has spoken with one voice on this since the beginning of the conflict.”
Davey Joins Condemnation
Similarly, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey joined the chorus of condemnation, stating that he did not “share any values” with Farage. He added that his message to the British people was: “We need to support the Ukrainian people.”
Wallace’s Pub Bore Remark
It was not just the party leaders who condemned Farage’s statements, with former Conservative Defence Secretary Ben Wallace labelling Farage as a “pub bore” who lacks an understanding of the complexities of international politics.
Simplistic Answers
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, Wallace stated, “I think Nigel Farage is a bit like that pub bore we have all met at the end of the bar who often says: ‘Oh no, if I was running the country’, and presents very simplistic answers to actually, I am afraid, in the 21st century, complex problems.”
Wallace on Governing
He added, “It is not that easy to govern a country, but also to find international solutions to problems. If he became prime minister tomorrow morning, what is his solution to dealing with a President Putin that he alleges he admires?”
Admiration for Putin
Farage claimed in the Panorama interview that he admired Putin, stating, “I said I disliked him as a person, but I admired him as a political operator because he’s managed to take control of running Russia.”
Sacrificing Russians
Wallace went on to say, “Saying some of these comments today, with that rather odd admiration for totalitarian leaders … ‘Oh well, he’s a good old strong leader’. Well, he might be a good old strong leader, but he’s done it at the expense of sacrificing half a million Russians. I don’t want that anywhere in our politics.”
Putin’s Boots
Similarly, former shadow defence secretary John Healy stated that Farage would “rather lick Vladimir Putin’s boots than stand up for the people of Ukraine.”
Churchill Turning In Grave
Adding to the growing chorus of condemnation, in an attack line tailor-made to infuriate a vast number of the self-proclaimed patriots who make up the voter base of Reform UK, the Daily Telegraph reported that former defence minister Tobias Ellwood stated that “Churchill will be turning in his grave” following Farage’s remarks.
Consistent and Honest
Farage defended his position despite the backlash, claiming to have been consistent and honest about the Ukraine conflict. He pointed to a 2014 speech in the European Parliament where he called for the West to “stop playing war games with Putin.”
Rare Political Unity
The widespread condemnation of Farage’s comments is a rare moment of political unity in British politics leading up to the election. Though Farage is no stranger to controversy, the professional contrarian may have finally taken things a step too far.
Will This Sink Farage?
It remains to be seen whether Farage’s latest statements, which parrot uncomfortably close the Kremlin’s line on the Ukrainian war, will be the remarks that finally sink the seemingly unsinkable Farage.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Martin Suker.