Nigel Farage, feeling uneasy, quipped about the possibility that Queen Elizabeth II could have sympathized with Putin while facing criticism for his favorable comments on the Russian leader.
Keir Starmer has called for an inquiry into the connections between Reform UK and Russia after the party’s former Welsh leader, Nathan Gill, was sentenced to over ten years in prison for accepting payments to advocate pro-Russian views in the European Parliament.
Farage defended himself, dismissing accusations of supporting Putin, emphasizing his past statement of admiring Putin as a political figure but not as a person. He vaguely referenced the Queen meeting Putin and suggested questioning the Prime Minister about her potential sympathy towards the Russian leader.
Farage distanced himself from Gill’s actions, attributing them to individual wrongdoing rather than a systemic issue within Reform UK or UKIP. He expressed skepticism about investigating past affiliations due to practical challenges like accessing emails and mobile phones.
The Reform leader faced scrutiny for his past praise of Putin as a political leader, clarifying that his admiration was for Putin’s strategic skills rather than personal qualities. He also faced backlash for his remarks about Ukraine and Western involvement in the conflict, sparking controversy and criticism.