Nigel Farage causes uproar in first speech to parliament

Nigel Farage wasted no time attacking the UK’s new government, as his inaugural address slamming a ‘little man’ of Labour was met with laughs, jeers and boos.

Nigel Farage caused immediate controversy in parliament as he used his first speech to attack Labour’s former House speaker John Bercow as a “little man” for trying to overturn Brexit.

Parliament sat for the first time since the general election, with Sir Keir Starmer sworn in as Prime Minister and Rishi Sunak taking his seat as leader of the opposition.

But it was the Reform leader who drew the most reaction by vowing his “new kids on the block” would judge the House of Commons, as the world watched the “box office politics” to come.

Mr Farage then endorsed the current Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle as bringing “dignity” to the role following a decade under John Bercow, who was suspended from the Labour Party amid reports of bullying.

“It is I must say, a marked contrast to the little man that was there before you,” Mr Farage began to amused rumblings. “And who besmirched the office so dreadfully,” he continued to growing jeers and boos. “In doing his best to overturn the biggest democratic result in the history of the country”.

🚨 BREAKING: Nigel Farage’s first ever speech in the Commons as Leader of Reform UK

“We are the new kids on the block”

Labour MPs sigh after Farage adds the “little man” who preceded Hoyle, John Bercow, “besmirched” the reputation of the Commons pic.twitter.com/hU1iZtVXuc

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) July 9, 2024

The room moaned as Mr Farage ended his rebuke of the former Speaker, who has been widely accused of anti-Brexit bias in his final years in the role.

Hundreds of new MPs squeezed into the House of Commons to hear Sir Keir’s first speech from the dispatch box after being sworn in as Prime Minister.

Mr Starmer vowed to “put an end to a politics that has too often seemed self-serving and self-obsessed”.

“We all have a duty to show that politics can be a force for good,” he added.

Rishi Sunak, who was sworn in as opposition leader until the Tories select a new leader, said whatever disputes they may have in parliament, they’re all motivated to serve their country.

Nigel Farage reacts after winning the Clacton and Harwich constituency. Picture: Getty Images

Former House Speaker John Bercow was slammed by Farage over his anti-Brexit bias. Picture: AFP

“In our politics, we can argue vigorously as the Prime Minister and I did over the past six weeks, but still respect each other,” Mr Sunak said.

“As he takes on his formidable task, he and his family deserve the good wishes of all of us.”

All 650 MPs were sworn into parliament, including 335 new MPs, with an oath of allegiance to the British monarchy.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was caught on a hot mic saying “this is such a load of nonsense isn’t it” before he was sworn in as an independent MP.

The new parliamentary session will officially begin after Sir Keir’s government puts forward its priorities for the term in the King’s speech on Wednesday 17 July.

Originally published as Nigel Farage causes uproar in first speech to parliament