Sir Keir Starmer has attacked Nigel Farage in a fiery Prime Minister’s Questions after the Reform UK leader opted to spend his time across the pond instead of attending the first session since MPs returned from the summer recess.
Mr Farage skipped PMQs for a Congress speech, in which he is expected to say Britain has become an “authoritarian censorship regime”.
The Clacton MP will give evidence to the House Judiciary Committee in Washington on free speech in the UK.
However, the Prime Minister argued that the Brexit stalwart's time would be better served in the Commons rather than “talking down” Britain.
The Prime Minister lashed out at the absent Mr Farage
|GB NEWS / PA
He was asked by backbench Labour MP Lola McEvoy about Mr Farage’s opposition to the Online Safety Act, a mode of attack used frequently by the Labour Party in recent months while launching jibes against Reform.
“The Honourable Member for Clacton is not here representing his constituents in the house he was elected to, no, he’s flown to America”, the Prime Minister said.
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“He’s gone there to bad mouth and talk down our country and worse than that, he has gone there to lobby America to impose sanctions on this country.
“You cannot get more unpatriotic than that. It’s a disgrace.”
Backbench Labour MP Lola McEvoy teed up the assault on Mr Farage
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Speaking about the Online Safety Act, Sir Keir added: “That protects children from material on suicide, self-harm and online predators.
“Reform said they would scrap it. When the Reform leader was asked ‘what would you replace it with?’, he said: ‘There needs to be a tech answer. I don’t know what that is’.
“You cannot run a country on ‘don’t know’ answers.”
Meanwhile, Mr Farage is set to urge American lawmakers to impose sanctions on nations that curtail free speech rights.
Farage is travelling to the US to discuss the issue of free speech | GETTYHis appearance comes shortly after comedy writer Graham Linehan was arrested by armed officers at Heathrow Airport in connection with gender-critical posts on social media.
The Father Ted co-creator was detained by five armed police officers over tweets that included a satirical suggestion about violence towards transgender women who enter female-only spaces.
Mr Farage described the incident as "yet another example of the war on freedom in the UK".
The Reform leader will provide testimony to the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, as part of an investigation into what the committee describes as "Europe's threat to American speech and innovation”.
Republican Representative Jim Jordan extended the invitation to Nigel Farage | REUTERSCommittee chairman Jim Jordan, a Trump ally and former amateur wrestling champion, has argued that British and EU internet regulations pose a "serious chilling effect on free expression" and endanger the First Amendment protections of US citizens and businesses.
The hearing follows criticism from senior US politicians, including Vice President JD Vance, who have expressed alarm about the UK's Online Safety Act.
The legislation, which came into force on 25 July, established age verification requirements for pornographic and potentially harmful online content.
Labour has mounted a fierce defence of the legislation, with Technology Secretary Peter Kyle accusing Mr Farage of being "on the same side" as Jimmy Savile.
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson claimed Mr Farage of "gambling with children's futures" through his pledge to scrap the Act if he becomes Prime Minister.
"No child should be exposed to harmful material online, and content promoting self-harm and eating disorders is particularly dangerous," she added.