Lib Dem Caroline Voaden says Nigel Farage ‘shoved me’ at Parliament

A Liberal Democrat MP has said Nigel Farage shoved her out of the way and barged past in the Commons earlier this year.

Caroline Voaden called his behaviour “unacceptable in any workplace” and said it shows his “complete disdain” for his parliamentary colleagues.

The MP for South Devon issued a statement after the Reform UK leader said he had skipped John Healey’s Budget on Wednesday to avoid a possible “physical altercation” in the Commons following an incident at the state opening earlier this year.

She had earlier posted on social media saying she was “shocked and bloody angry” about the incident and that she was “still waiting for the apology you were required to write to me”.

Mr Farage brought up the incident at a post-Budget press conference, saying he wanted to “avoid conflict” in the chamber, claiming he had been involved in an altercation with another MP at the state opening of Parliament on May 13.

He claimed his parliamentary prayer card, which MPs use to reserve a seat in the chamber, had been removed on Wednesday.

A House of Commons spokesperson later said Mr Farage’s prayer card was removed because it did not have a valid time stamp.

Ms Voaden, the MP for South Devon, said in a statement: “It’s very strange that Farage has dredged up this incident, which happened five months ago, while scrambling for an excuse as to why he wasn’t in the Chamber for the Budget speech.

“The truth is that on the day of the King’s Speech, Farage missed his chance to process with the other party leaders to the Lords, and rather than queue with the rest of us, he shoved me out of the way to barge past.

“It’s no surprise that Reform’s leader considers himself too important to wait like everyone else, or to politely ask someone to step out of the way.

“Such behaviour is unacceptable in any workplace and it has no place in the House of Commons.

“Shoving a colleague out of the way on a staircase just shows the complete disdain he has for parliament and for other MPs.”

Ms Voaden accused the Reform UK leader of using the incident as a pretext to justify not attending the Budget speech and hosting his own press conference instead.

She went on: “It’s why he couldn’t be bothered to show up for the Budget and it’s why he still doesn’t understand how prayer cards work over two years after being elected.

“I’ve known Farage since our days in the European Parliament.

“It’s the same old story, he just wants to be in the limelight, in front of a camera, taking centre stage rather than actually doing the job he’s been elected to do.

“It’s impossible to imagine him ever being leader of the Opposition, let alone Prime Minister – he might actually have to show up and do some work.”

Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper had earlier indicated one of their MPs was the other person involved in the May altercation which Mr Farage was referring to.

She told Sky News: “My understanding – I didn’t see it, I wasn’t there – but 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.

“I didn’t see it, I didn’t witness what happened, but that was several months ago.

“Let’s be really clear: it’s Reform UK that had a problem at their conference with bundling female journalists and members out of their hall.

“So, we’ll take no lessons from them on this.”

She said Mr Farage had “every opportunity” to get his prayer card in on Wednesday and secure a seat in Parliament “but as a leader of a very small party, he would have to have waited several hours to have the opportunity to speak”.

“So, let’s be really clear about the choice that Nigel Farage made yesterday.

“He basically decided that he couldn’t be arsed to sit in the chamber and listen to the Chancellor’s speech and everybody else responding, and instead chose to go and do a press conference so he could get on to the airwaves.

“That’s the choice that he has made, and he should just come clean about that.”

The broadcaster later asked Reform Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick to respond to the accusations.

He told Sky: “You know what? I am sick to death of these pathetic Westminster debates.

“The thing about Reform politicians is, yeah, we love Parliament, the institution of Parliament.

“I go there every day. I speak in Parliament. I represent my constituents.

“But I’m much more interested about, actually, the issues, trying to change this country, getting out and about outside of the bubble.

“I’m not interested in even responding, dignifying the nonsense that Daisy Cooper is talking about there.”

Reform officials said Ms Cooper’s account was not true and insisted it was the Lib Dem MP who was acting aggressively.