Nigel Farage faced criticism during Prime Minister’s Questions for earning money from additional jobs while expressing doubts about the minimum wage for young workers. The leader of Reform UK has accumulated over £1 million from these extra roles since the general election. He recently questioned the adequacy of the minimum wage for younger employees, implying it might be too high, despite already receiving a substantial MP salary of £93,904.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, standing in for Keir Starmer at PMQs, mocked Farage for profiting significantly as an ambassador for Direct Bullion, a precious metals and gold dealer. Lammy highlighted the irony of Farage advocating for lower wages while benefiting from multiple lucrative positions.
Labour MP Adam Thompson raised the issue during PMQs, emphasizing the substantial increase in the national minimum wage for young people compared to the past. He questioned Lammy about the government’s stance on claims that £10 per hour is excessive for young workers and whether any of Farage’s numerous additional jobs pay less than that amount.
Lammy responded by pointing out Farage’s substantial earnings from various sources, including gold bullion, and questioned the logic behind advocating for reduced minimum wages while benefiting from significantly higher income. He reaffirmed the Labour Party’s commitment to supporting young workers by increasing wages and implementing initiatives like the youth guarantee.
Over the past year, Farage has generated income from various activities such as speaking engagements, social media work, cameo video recordings, TV presenting for GB News, writing articles, and serving as an ambassador for Direct Bullion.