Nigel Farage has hit out at the “terribly self-important” Steve Baker after the Northern Ireland Minister aimed a dig at the former Brexit Party leader.
It comes after Baker called on Boris Johnson to vote in favour of Rishi Sunak’s Windsor Framework, saying he risks becoming a “pound shop Nigel Farage” should he opt not to do so.
The former Prime Minister ended up being one of the 22 Tory MPs who voted against the Government on the measure, leading Farage to joke that Baker had been right all along.
Speaking on GB News, Farage said: “Thank you Mr Baker, yes poor old Boris Johnson did vote against the Windsor Framework. Perhaps he has become a pound shop Farage.
Nigel Farage has hit out at Steve Baker
GB News
“Well unlike you Mr Baker, I tend to be fairly consistent in my views and I believe in sovereignty.
“You yourself Mr Baker, in March last year, said we should trigger Article 16 as we need to get the UK single market back and Stormont up and running.
“It’s amazing what a ministerial car will do, and the ERG have kicked him out of their group.
“I have to say I’m very pleased.”
Rishi Sunak has seen off a Brexit rebellionPABaker failed in his attempts to convince Boris Johnson to side with Rishi Sunak over a key factor of the Windsor Framework.
The Northern Ireland Minister said the ex-PM would appear as a “statesman” where he to back the Government, but risks becoming a “pound shop Farage” where he to go the other way.
Johnson opted to oppose Sunak, along with 21 other Conservative MPs, including fellow ex-PM Liz Truss.
Despite their best efforts, Sunak saw off the Tory rebels to comfortably pass the so-called Stormont brake through the Commons.
Six DUP MPs voted against the statutory instrument along with former Tory Andrew Bridgen, who now sits as an independent, while more than 40 Conservative MPs did not vote – although some would have had permission to be away from Westminster.
A Government spokesman hailed the vote, saying it put power back in the hands of Stormont and Westminster, ending the “ratchet effect” of new EU law in Northern Ireland.
“The Windsor Framework is a turning point for the people of Northern Ireland, fixing the problems with the old protocol to ensure the smooth flow of internal UK trade, safeguard Northern Ireland’s place in the Union and address the democratic deficit,” the spokesman said.