Farage backtracks on constituency meetings claim

The leader of Reform UK has backtracked over comments he made about not being able to hold constituency surgeries in Clacton.

Nigel Farage MP said last month he was advised by the Speaker of the House of Commons office not to hold the meetings due to security.

But the Speaker's Office and parliamentary security team said they had "no recollection" of telling Farage he should not hold in-person surgeries, according to the Press Association.

The Clacton MP was asked who was "lying" at a press conference and replied: "The Speaker's office is always right".

Farage had told LBC in September that he had been advised not to accommodate the "old-style" physical meetings between MPs and constituents.

Mr Farage said: "Do I have an office in Clacton? Yes. Am I allowing the public to flow through the door with their knives in their pockets? No, no I'm not."

When asked why Clacton residents would flow through the door with knives in their pockets, he said: "Well they did in Southend.

"They murdered David Amess and he was a far less controversial figure than me."

Conservative politician Sir David was fatally stabbed during a surgery in his Southend West constituency in 2021 by an Islamic State-supporting terrorist.

The Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle responded that he held regular surgeries with his Chorley constituents and said: "I always say that if you are going to hold constituency surgeries make sure you take advice from the Parliamentary Security Department - and do so safely."

A House of Commons spokesperson said: "The ability for MPs to perform their parliamentary duties safely, both on and off the estate, is fundamental to our democracy.

The Press Association reported that no record of any advice had been given to Farage by the Speaker's office - or the parliamentary security team - that he should not hold physical surgeries in Clacton.

When questioned on Monday, Mr Farage said: "The Speaker's Office is always right".

Peter Harris, Reform UK Chair for Clacton, said last month that Farage was "absolutely going to hold surgeries at the appropriate time".

Mr Harris told the BBC certain security measures have to be made and that Farage had been warned about his security locally.

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