Jamie Raskin, the Democrat ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee launched an blistering attack on the Reform leader during the Washington DC hearing – warning the people of the UK to think twice before they let Farage “Make Britain Great Again”
Nigel Farage has been branded a “far-right, pro-Putin politician” and a ” Donald Trump wannabe” as he appeared at a US Congressional hearing.
Jamie Raskin, the Democrat ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee launched an blistering attack on the Reform leader during the Washington DC hearing – warning the people of the UK to think twice before they let Farage “Make Britain Great Again.”
Mr Rankin brought up a showdown he had with Farage during a recent visit he and members of the committee made to the UK to discuss freedom of speech.
“After 3 minutes of talking [Farage] cut me off and terminated the meeting because he didn’t like what I had to say,” he said.
Mr Raskin noted that “UK PM Keir Starmer has not shut down GB News”, over its coverage of protests in the UK.
Neither has anyone “stopped [Farage] going on Russian TV 17 times” or “parroting Putin’s talking points,” Mr Raskin added.
He said: “Mr Farage seems most at home with the autocrats and dictators of the world.”
“To the people of the UK who think this Putin loving free speech imposter will protect free speech, come over to America and see what Donald Trump is doing in this country,” Mr Raskin said, ahead of Farage’s evidence.
“You might think twice before you let Mr Farage make Britain great again.”
Mr Farage is expected to call on the White House to put sanctions on countries, including Britain, that restrict free speech – and will claim the UK has “lost its way”.
It means that Mr Farage was not in his seat for Prime Minister’s Questions, having jetted off despite Parliament returning from the summer break.
Mr Starmer told the Commons: “The honorable member for Clacton (Mr Farage) is not here representing his constituents in the House that he was elected to.
“No, he’s flown to America to badmouth and talk down our country.
“And worse than that Mr Speaker, if you can believe it, I do believe he’s gone there to lobby the Americans to impose sanctions on this country, which will harm working people.
“You cannot get more unpatriotic than that. It’s a disgrace.”
Asked by The Mirror this morning whether he thinks it’s patriotic to call on the US to slap trade sanctions on the UK, shameless Farage hit back: “I’ve never said anything of the kind. Complete lies from the Prime Minister. It shows you how much trouble they’re in. Complete lies.”
When it was pointed out that it was reported in his statement in today’s papers, Farage said: “No it isn’t.
“What I say is there are trade implications for this – and there are very serious trade implications that will damage both us and American companies. Sanctions is not mentioned at all.”
Farage has vowed to tear up the Online Safety Act, which includes a string of measures to protect children.
He’s also expected to raise the case of Lucy Connolly, who admitted and was convicted of publishing written material that incited racial hatred after calling for migrant hotels to be set on fire on Twitter.
Ahead of the trip, Mr Farage said Ms Connolly, who painted herself as a “political prisoner” after her release from prison, would be “a very central point of what I’m discussing”.