Reform UK leader Nigel Farage reacts after winning the Clacton and Harwich constituency on July 5, 2024 in Clacton-on-Sea, EnglandNewly-elected MP Nigel Farage was interrupted by several different hecklers at his first rally since getting into parliament this afternoon.
The Reform UK leader, who won the seat of Clacton last night after previously failing on seven different occasions, was accused of bigotry and racism by protesters at the central London event.
A handful of furious attendees shouted “you’re a racist” and “you don’t represent the working class” to the new MP.
But Farage hit back, accusing one heckler of being “absolutely steaming” asking: “Are you down wind of a couple already?”
He then called the protester “boring” and joked: “Well, this is good preparation for the House of Commons, I suppose.”
Most of the hecklers appeared to be escorted from the venue amid boos from the audience and jubilant waving from Farage.
Nigel Farage’s rally thrown into chaos by SEVEN hecklers, accusing Reform of bigotry and racism. pic.twitter.com/cGtqk3jN8V
— Aubrey Allegretti (@breeallegretti) July 5, 2024
Despite facing a period of intense chaos with its candidates selection over the last few weeks – with two even defecting over the Conservatives while accusing the party of not responding strongly enough to racism – Reform now has four seats in the Commons.
The exit poll predicted the populist party would return 13 new MPs in total, but actually only Farage, Tory defector Lee Anderson, party chair Richard Tice and Rupert Lowe made it into parliament.
Farage alluded to the difficulties Reform had faced with its candidates in his speech, saying: “Those few bad apples that have crept in will be gone, will be long gone, and we will never have any of their type back in our organisation.”
