Nigel Farage’s absence from asking questions at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) for three months has drawn criticism. The leader of Reform UK made a dramatic gesture by heading to the public gallery during this week’s PMQs, expressing frustration over being targeted by the Prime Minister and Labour MPs without the opportunity to respond.
Farage stated that he is consistently attacked during PMQs but lacks the chance to reply, feeling like a mere observer. However, the reason he hasn’t been called to ask a question is because he hasn’t requested one. As the leader of a minor party, Farage’s questions are assigned to him on a rotational basis by the speaker, alongside other smaller parties like the Greens and Plaid Cymru.
While he is entitled to enter his name for the weekly question selection lottery known as the “shuffle,” Farage has not done so since July 9th, according to parliamentary records. Despite the opportunity to be chosen for a question in the past five PMQs sessions, he has not participated in the shuffle.
Each week, around 15 MPs are selected through the shuffle, including party leaders like Farage, Kemi Badenoch, and Lib Dem leader Ed Davey. Wendy Chamberlain, the Lib Dem chief whip, criticized Farage for prioritizing victimization over fulfilling his duties, suggesting that the people of Clacton may have questions for him.
Reform UK has raised concerns that Farage is not scheduled for a “minor party” question until November and has only been granted six questions this year. It remains unknown how many times Farage attempted to enter the shuffle before July.