Keir Starmer joked that Nigel Farage was the first person to take advantage of his new EU Brexit deal today as the Reform boss ducked Prime Minister’s Questions in favour of a foreign holiday.
Mr Farage last night confirmed he was taking an overseas holiday, hours after he failed to appear in the Commons as the Prime Minister outlined an agreement bringing the UK closer to Brussels.
Once of the benefits to Brits Sir Keir was keen to shout about was UK tourists being allowed to use EU e-gates to speed up airport transit.
Mr Farage’s absence was a surprise given his vocal leadership of the 2016 Leave cause in the referendum and his championing of the Brexiteer cause since.
And he was again a no-show in the chamber today as the PM faced his weekly grilling, leaving it to Reform chief whip Lee Anderson to ask a question about data on deported foreign nationals.
To laughter, including from the four Reform MPs present, the PM replied: ‘It’s very good he is standing in for the member of Clacton, I have to say.
‘There was no sign of him yesterday at the EU statement – he was the first through the e-gates somewhere in the south of France.’
And punning on the name of the French Mediterranean city, he added: ‘Nice work if you can get it.’
Mail Online can also reveal that while Mr Farage is on holiday the Reform leader and Clacton MP is still working hard on one of his outside money-spinners.
Mr Farage (pictured with Donald Trump Jnr in Portsmouth last week) last night confirmed he was on an overseas holiday, hours after he failed to appear in the Commons
And he was again a no-show in the chamber today as the PM faced his weekly grilling, leaving it to Reform chief whip Lee Anderson to ask a question about data on deported foreign nationals.
To laughter, including from the four Reform MPs present, the PM replied: ‘There was no sign of him yesterday at the EU statement – he was the first through the e-gates somewhere in the south of France.’
Data from the Cameo website, which allows celebrities to record bespoke videos for fans for money, showed Mr Farage was up at 7.30am this morning recording them, charging more than £70 a time.
Since he was elected last year he has made more than £130,000 from the site to top up his £92,000 MP salary.
Mr Farage has been fiercely critical of the PM’s newly signed agreement with the EU, including Sir Keir’s extension of access to UK fishing waters for European fleets.
But the Reform leader was not physically present in Parliament in order to challenge Sir Keir over the terms of his deal with Brussels.
After being quizzed over his whereabouts, Mr Farage issued a statement to reveal he was out the country ‘having my first overseas break for three years’.
He added he would be back in Britain next week, although this is when MPs are on their week-long ‘Whitsun’ recess from Parliament.
The Tories swiped at the ‘part-time’ Reform leader over his absence, claiming ‘he clearly doesn’t have the stamina to stand up to Starmer’.
Data from the Cameo website, which allows celebrities to record bespoke videos for fans for money, showed Mr Farage was up at 7.30am this morning recording them, charging more than £70 a time.
Mr Farage said in his statement: ‘There seems to be great consternation in the press that they have not seen me for 48 hours. Well, they will have to wait some time.
‘After months of touring the UK in the run up to our hugely successful local election campaign I will resume travelling the country next week as Reform moves to the next stage.
‘Meanwhile I am having my first overseas break for three years, the jungle excepted. Well I say break.. plenty of articles and fundraising calls!’
