Full Breakdown
Nigel Farage cites alleged altercation as reason for skipping the Budget
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Alleged shoving at the State Opening
On May 13, during the State Opening of Parliament, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he had been involved in a “physical altercation” with another MP and therefore chose to avoid the subsequent Budget speech. Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden – the MP Farage identified – says he grabbed her arm from behind and pushed her to one side on the staircase, leaving her “shocked and bloody angry”.
02
Background & context
Farage explained at a post-Budget press conference that his parliamentary “prayer card” – the reservation used to secure a seat in the chamber – had been removed because it lacked a valid time-stamp. He presented that procedural issue, together with the May 13 incident, as the reason for giving the Budget a “wide berth”.
Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper, while not an eyewitness, reiterated Voaden’s account, stating that a male Lib Dem MP intervened after the alleged shove.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
03
Official statements & responses
- Nigel Farage – at the press conference – said he was “avoiding conflict” after the May 13 episode and that the missing prayer-card prevented him from taking a seat.
- Robert Jenrick, Reform treasury spokesman – dismissed the debate as “pathetic Westminster debates”.
- A House of Commons spokesperson clarified that Farage’s prayer-card was removed solely because it did not bear a valid time-stamp.
04
Conflicting reports & gaps
- Reform sources claim the Liberal Democrats are “being aggressive” toward Farage and that a video from the Commons “clearly disproves” the alleged shove.
- Video evidence first released by the Daily Telegraph shows Farage and Voaden exiting the chamber together; the clip contains no visible altercation, and the official parliamentary feed did not capture the incident.
- Voaden maintains that the moment was not included in the released footage, suggesting the relevant segment is missing.
- No formal finding from the Serjeant at Arms or the Speaker has been reported, leaving the matter unresolved.
05
Criticism & opposition
Reform insiders argue the accusation is part of “typical Lib Dem dishonesty” and that the party is attempting to stay relevant by portraying Farage as aggressive. Jenrick’s remarks echo this stance, emphasizing Reform’s frustration with what he calls “pathetic Westminster debates”.
06
Why it matters
The dispute highlights tensions over parliamentary decorum and the strategic use of procedural issues – such as prayer-card eligibility – to justify attendance decisions. It also feeds broader narratives about Farage’s relationship with other parties and his media-focused approach to parliamentary controversies.
07
Verbatim quotes
- “Quite deliberately, he grabbed me by the arm from behind and pushed me to one side so that I fell into a colleague or the wall on the other side. I was really taken aback and really angry because you just don’t behave like that in any workplace, let alone the chamber of the House of Commons.” — Caroline Voaden