Nigel Farage’s response to Trump shooting contains three small problems

Reform UK leader, Clacton MP and friend to Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, has waded into the discourse surrounding an assassination attempt made on his US political ally on Saturday, which left the Republican presidential candidate with a bloodied ear as he was rushed away by secret service agents.

Farage was one of many political figures to condemn the attack in Pennsylvania, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) suspects was carried out by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.

The gunman was shot dead by the secret service, an audience member was killed and two others have been injured.

As Trump called on his supporters to “stand united” and remain “strong and determined”, Farage has appeared on the airwaves to share his thoughts on the ongoing situation – except social media users have pointed out a number of issues with his comments…

1. Farage blames “nasty” narrative from “liberals” for encouraging political violence, despite once saying he would “pick up a rifle” if his version of Brexit wasn’t delivered

Speaking to Laura Kuennsberg on her Sunday political programme, Farage said he was “very upset” when he heard the news of the assassination attempt on Trump but is “obviously very pleased” that the presidential candidate has “got away with it”.

He continued: “It’s an absolutely horrendous incident and yet, somehow, I’m not shocked by it. The narrative that is put out there about Trump by these liberals that oppose him, is so nasty, it’s so unpleasant, and it almost encourages this type of behaviour.

“One of the times – one of the many times – that I had a drink thrown at me … a so-called comedian on a BBC show said, ‘well, why not battery acid?’”

Farage is referring to Jo Brand, who apologised for the “crass and ill-judged” joke she made on the Radio 4 programme Heresy back in 2019 which did not see her face action from the Metropolitan Police or the broadcasting regulator Ofcom.

“I do think mainstream media, I do think liberal intolerance, is increasingly a part of this problem,” Farage said.

However, Byline Times political editor Adam Bienkov has since pointed out that Farage has himself used controversial rhetoric in his political comments, sharing an article from The Independent in 2017 when he told an event in Southampton he would “don khaki, pick up a rifle and head for the front lines” if his version of Brexit was not delivered by then prime minister, Theresa May.

And his comments on the BBC on Sunday also revealed another problem…

2. He appears to have forgotten about his BBC boycott

During the general election campaign, Farage fumed at the BBC following his appearance on its flagship Question Time programme, which saw him grilled by presenter Fiona Bruce over comments made by Reform UK candidates, and ridiculed by audience members.

In a tweet on 29 June, he wrote: “I’ve just been invited to appear on Laura Kuenssberg. I’m refusing until the BBC apologises for their dishonest QT audience.

“Our state broadcaster has behaved like a political actor throughout this election.”

When an apology wasn’t issued, he followed this tweet up by saying he would be “appearing on [Sky News] and [GB News] this morning instead”.

Except, less than a month later, he did appear on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, as mentioned above.

3. Farage will visit Trump next week instead of representing Clacton constituents

Despite being elected – after eight attempts – as a member of parliament (now for the Essex town of Clacton) just over a week ago, Farage has told GB News that he’ll be travelling stateside to see his “friend” Trump next week, right when MPs will hear and debate the King’s speech concerning major legislation coming up in the new parliament.

Speaking to presenter Tom Harwood, he said: “I’ve now decided, Tom, in the light of what’s happened, that I will fly out to America this week, I will go and see my friend … I’ll listen to his acceptance speech at the convention on Thursday and I’ll do it, not just as a friend, but I’ll do it because we have to stand up for democracy.

“We have to be able to campaign.”

The “convention” to which Farage refers is the Republican National Convention, taking place from Monday to Thursday next week which will see Trump officially become the party’s presidential nominee, and announce his running mate.

He’ll formally accept the nomination on Thursday, and if Farage is in attendance watching such a moment, then the Reform UK leader will miss the first day of debating Labour leader and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s legislative programme contained in the speech from King Charles.

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