Nigel Farage claimed he skipped John Healey’s Budget to avoid a second ‘physical altercation’ with an MP.
Farage claimed he could not attend for fears of an ‘altercation’ (Image: Getty)
The MP at the heart of an extraordinary Commons clash with Nigel Farage, which he claimed stopped him attending the Budget, has been unmasked. Sources last night confirmed to the Daily Express that she was a Lib Dem, before The Daily Telegraph named her as South Devon MP Caroline Voaden.
The extraordinary row exploded after the Reform boss claimed he skipped Wednesday’s Budget statement in Parliament because his prayer card had been snatched from his seat. But Commons officials poured cold water on his excuse, saying the card had been removed by staff in line with the usual rules because it did not display a valid date stamp.
Prayer cards are the hotly contested tickets MPs use to bag a seat on the green benches. On Budget day, when the chamber is rammed to the rafters, they are worth their weight in gold.
Grilled at his post-Budget press conference over his no-show, Mr Farage dropped a bombshell. He claimed he had been involved in a “physical altercation” in the chamber at the last state opening of Parliament in May.
He said: “I didn’t want to, but I got involved in a physical altercation with an MP in the chamber.
“I didn’t make a fuss about it. I didn’t complain, but I could see that – given that my prayer card [seat reservation] had been removed – I was heading towards another physical altercation.”
He added: “Sometimes it’s better to avoid conflict.”
Tory MP Alicia Kearns also disputed Mr Farage’s account, pointing out that many seats in the chamber had no reservation.
Ms Voaden, 57, a former MEP and ex-chief executive of the charity Devon Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Services, reportedly complained about the alleged incident to Commons authorities.
Ms Voaden was named as the MP (Image: House of Commons)
Elected in 2024, she is now the Lib Dems’ schools spokeswoman.
The Lib Dems say the incident happened during the State Opening of Parliament on May 13, when they allege Mr Farage pushed Ms Voaden aside and a male Lib Dem MP then challenged him.
She fired back at Mr Farage on X, responding to a clip of his comments: “And we both know that’s not true, Nigel, don’t we?
“I’m still waiting for the apology you were required to write to me… Though I won’t hold my breath.”
The war of words escalated as the Lib Dems alleged Mr Farage “shoved” a female MP, “sending her flying”.
A Lib Dem source told the Telegraph: “He seems to be suggesting that he was the victim, when the reality was quite the opposite.”
But a furious Reform UK source fired straight back: “Not true at all – it was the Lib Dem MPs being aggressive towards Nigel.”
Mr Farage missed Chancellor John Healey’s Budget statement and instead watched alongside a group of Reform UK economists.