Farage on Ukraine - and the Reactions from the Labour, Lib Dems and Tory Party Leaders

 

John Edwards, Southampton Test Candidate
for Reform
Photo: used with permission John Edwards

Alex Culley, Southampton Itchen Candidate for Reform UK
Photo: used with persmission Alex Culley

Nigel Farage, Leader of the Reform UK party, has made a career out of being unconventional. He regularly says that he doesn't care what people think of him. And he is outspoken.

Love him or hate him, like his great achievements or dislike them as terrible achievements, agree with his views or disagree, Farage is back. 

And he's using Eminem's "Without Me" to say "Guess who's back? Back again...". He is "out of retirement". And he is having a massive impact, whether you wish to acknowledge it or not.

So what does he think of the Ukraine war, or as the Russians like to call it - or have to call it at Vladimir Putin's insistence - the "special military operation"?

Farage was asked his views by the BBC's Nick Robinson in the General Election Leader interview. And of course, as is often the case, Mr Farage's views attracted interest, headlines and opprobrium. 

Farage has broken the Lab-Lib-Tory consensus and questioned foreign policy, saying of the Ukraine war:

"Of course it's [Putin's] fault, he's used what we've done as an excuse."

Robinson asked him:

"We've provoked the invasion of Ukraine?"

Farage replied:

"Yes, and very interestingly once again, ten years ago when I predicted this. By the way, I'm the only person in British politics that predicted what would happen.

And of course, everyone said I was a pariah for daring to suggest it.

George Robertson, former Labour cabinet member who went on to become the Secretary General of NATO, has in the last couple of weeks said the war is a direct result of EU expansionism."

Farage has indeed upset the consensus between the Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer, the Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey and the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. 

They had been trying to avoid Nigel Farage, said Sky News' Darren McCaffrey who reported that Sunak said, echoing Neville Chamberlain's "peace in our time" claim regarding how he dealt with Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler:

"What he said was completely wrong and he plays into Putin's hands. This is a man who deployed nerve agents on the streets of Britain, who's 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."

Keir Starmer, rather simplistically, said:

"Farage's comments about Russia and Ukraine are disgraceful. I've always been clear that Putin bears responsibility, sole responsibility for the Russian aggression in Ukraine. And we have always supported Ukraine and behind Ukraine and so far we've done it united across Parliament".

Ed Davey, rather snootily, said:

"I don't share any values with Nigel Farage. This is another example, but my message to the British people is that we need to support the Ukraine people. This is a time of deep insecurity in our world."

So what does Southampton Independents think? Opinion pieces may be forthcoming after the Election.

You can make up your own minds based on what we present, with balance across political parties, here and in our coverage of the Election. There will be more to come on this during the General Election campaign and afterwards. And you can decide whether to support the Reform candidates in Southampton, or not.

Our coverage of the 2024 General Election, and local candidates, starts on this page here.