Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has “boycotted” a series of key Commons votes as a “failure of democracy” locks the populist party’s five MPs out of a key parliamentary process.
Farage, 60, confirmed Reform UK MPs would not vote in elections to decide Select Committee chairs yesterday.
Despite receiving 4.1 million votes, Reform UK will have no representation on Select Committees.
The Liberal Democrats, who obtained 3.5 million votes, will get to sit on the key committees.
Sir Ed Davey’s pro-PR party will get representation after returning 72 MPs.
Taking to social media, the Clacton MP said:“Reform MPs boycotted the elections for Select Committee Chairs in Parliament tonight.
“Despite us winning more votes than the Lib Dems, we are not allowed a single seat. This is a failure of democracy.”
Select Committee votes last night resulted in Labour heading up 18 backbencher groupings.
Tory MPs will chair five other committees, with Liberal Democrat MPs Layla Moran and Jamie Stone also getting positions.
Moran and Stone were handed roles for Health and Petitions after being appointed to the positions by the Speaker in unopposed contests.
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WATCH NOW: Wes Streeting’s NHS grilling in full
‘We are going to wage a war on waste.’
Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, is tested by @NanaAkua1 over spending within the NHS and where funding can be redirected to and from. pic.twitter.com/yzcWayIyh6
— GB News (@GBNEWS) September 12, 2024
Wes Streeting promises to tackle ‘difficult NHS choices’ as Starmer pushes for overhaul
You have every right to be angry about the state of our NHS.
We need courage to achieve long-term reform – major surgery not sticking plaster solutions.
My government will work with NHS staff, experts and patients to deliver the biggest reimagining of the NHS since its birth.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 12, 2024
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has promised to tackle “difficult choices” in the NHS as Labour pushes ahead with widespread reforms to address the health crisis.
Speaking to GB News this morning, Streeting said: “We are not going to duck the difficult choices.
“We are not going to ignore hard truths, and we are not going to sweep the problems under the carpet.
“As a Labour Party, we are not going to get into dewy-eyed nostalgia about what the NHS was when it was created 76 years ago.
“We are going to face up to the hard choices and challenges today, so the NHS is there for us for the next 76 years and we deal with the awful situation we see today.”
Streeting’s comments come as Sir Keir Starmer is expected to unveil plans to “long-term reform” of the NHS.
The Prime Minister vowed to pursue “major surgery” rather than “sticking plaster solution”.
Hunt blasts Labour over ‘bogus’ economic inheritance attack line
Jeremy HuntPA
Ex-Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has slammed Labour for blaming the Tories economic record for the “tough” decisions it is not making.
Sir Keir Starmer consistently blamed the £22billion black hole left by the Conservative Party for the need to release convicts early and axe Winter Fuel Payments for 10 million pensioners.
The Prime Minister is also expected to blame the Tories for the need for the NHS to “reform or die” later today.
However, in a scathing attack against Labour, Hunt said: “Labour’s bogus ‘black hole’ is falling to pieces, with the Government now admitting they can’t provide basic details because they aren’t sure they’re accurate.
“It’s clear that this fictitious ‘black hole’ is purely of Labour’s own making – simply a political smokescreen for their public sector pay awards.
“The public won’t be fooled by this shameless pre-text for tax rises.”
However, Starmer yesterday responded to several questions by highlighting the situation inherited by the new Labour Government.
Starmer suffers HUMILIATION in Parliament as Lords condemn Winter Fuel Payment cut
House of Lords
Getty
Sir Keir Starmer has received his first blow since pushing ahead with plans to strip 10 million pensioners of Winter Fuel Payments.
The Prime Minister, who won a Commons vote on the matter with the support of 348 Labour MPs on Tuesday, suffered defeat during a so-called “regret motion” by 164 votes to 132.
Former Tory Pensions Minister Baroness Stedman-Scott said: “I cannot think there is anybody really in this chamber who wants this to happen in terms of withdrawing the winter fuel allowance in this way.
“I think the two phrases that come out time and time again are to take time and think again, and I live in the hope that that may happen.”
However, a wider attempt to block the Winter Fuel Payment cut was defeated by 138 votes to just 30.