The deputy prime minister launched a scathing attack on Reform UK, pointing out their former leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, was recently found guilty of taking money from the Kremlin
Vladimir Putin wants Nigel Farage and his “right-wing populist” allies to succeed so that they divide Europe, David Lammy has claimed.
The deputy prime minister launched a scathing attack on Reform UK, pointing out their former leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, was recently found guilty of taking money from the Kremlin. Mr Lammy’s broadside follows Mr Farage being skewered in interviews over his “admiration” for the Russian President, even though he now describes him as a “very bad dude”.
Speaking in Amsterdam to the conference of European socialists, Mr Lammy highlighted the recent conviction of Mr Gill.
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He said: “ Nigel Farage says he’s stunned by the fact his former party leader in Wales took Russian bribes. But we’re not stunned.
“Because the Kremlin has a proven track record of supporting the networks that want European unity to fail.”
Mr Lammy then made wider warnings about the “international populist right network”, linking Mr Farage to right-wing figures across the world.
He warned: “Right now the populist right, even as it champions barriers and borders, is organising and sharing more effectively as an international network than we are.
“From Martin Sellner to Tommy Robinson, this is an international network. From Nigel Farage to Steve Bannon, they are supporting each other. From Alice Weidel to Marine Le Pen, they are learning from one another. To extraordinary effect.”
“We all feel this stress and uncertainty because our people are suffering.
“And we all know they are looking both left and right for the change they crave. This means politics is wide open. Our polls are marked by extreme volatility at this point in the cycle – and those that are popular are those that offer change.”
In a vow of defiance, Mr Lammy also pledged Mr Farage and others would not succeed. He said: “When Nigel Farage attacks, judges and mobilises grievances against the courts, this is his playbook. This is the price he would have us pay.
“That’s why in our elections, they shall not pass. Why in your elections, they shall not pass. Across Europe, they shall not pass.”
The Reform UK leader had used an interview on Thursday night to say it was “nonsense” that he’s soft on Russia. The rightwing politician has faced fierce criticism over his stance on the Ukraine war, including for having said Putin is the statesman he most admires.
In an apparent attempt to try to squash accusations that he cannot be trusted with Britain’s national security, Mr Farage backed shooting down Russian jets that enter NATO airspace and spending frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.
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