Here's what Nigel Farage is up to this weekend.

[RobinInTheCrabApple]

Nigel Farage is flying more than 3,000 miles to speak at a pro-Trump U.S. think tank.

For around 12 hours’ work this Saturday the Reform UK leader is expected to collect £27,856.88 from the Club for Growth, a Washington-based anti-tax lobby group that has pledged to work closely with Donald Trump ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterms.

This group helped raise £120m for Republican candidates in the 2024 election.

So while people in Clacton deal with rising costs, poverty and cuts Farage is being paid the equivalent of many people’s yearly salary to give a single speech in America.

It’s not about left or right, it’s about expecting a constituency MP to work for their constituency, to turn up to Parliament (it’s his job!) without a £5m bung from a third country.

And on a site called Mumsnet, consider Reform’s views on Maternity Leave and a party candidate saying he is unapologetic about being sexist.

And where is he when not voting in Parliament since mid March?

Some absences are easily explained. He was clearly there on 18 March and 25 March as he asked Starmer a question in the Commons. The Commons was in Recess for Easter from 26 March to 13 April, plus also 21 May to 1 June (Whitsun).

Rachel Reeves only posted one thing on X in the 12 days prior to 3 June.

I don't wish to spread rumours but I noticed that both Rachel Reeves and Farage have a suntan (only kidding - lots of other MPs have one as well).

But where are the MP surgeries with constituents?

He held a business surgery in January;

https://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/news/25777742.clactons-nigel-farage-hosts-business-surgery-gazette/

Where was Keir Starmer when he was Opposition Leader?

Keir Starmer's constituents complained he wasn't available for surgeries before he became PM. Starmer claimed he was a “mobile clinic” - you had to catch him in the pub or on the school run (his children were secondary school age);
https://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/sir-keir-im-still-your-local-mp

@Clavinova - Farage has one of the worst attendance records and voting records in Parliament. The UK government does not run by posts on foreign owned sites (Twitter/X or whatever it is called this week) and there have been no surgeries for constituents. A business surgery back in January (itis not a constituency surgery.

He is paid to turn up, debate and vote in Parliament; he is not doing this.

I notice at the end of your link;

“The voters of Clacton will be the judge of Nigel’s record at the next election - not Daily Mirror reporters with an axe to grind.”

there have been no surgeries for constituents

Were you surprised to read that Keir Starmer was not holding regular surgeries when he was opposition leader? I expect Farage could claim he has a 'mobile clinic' in the pub just like Starmer. No wonder Keir Starmer has ruddy cheeks.

So you’re just excusing his failure to attend the committee where he was being paid to represent the UK as some sort of protest?

Farage could have turned up to vote for reforms to the CFP, but he didn’t.

Back then, Starmer had an official duel role as constituency MP and leader of HM Opposition, a difficult balancing act, which you will appreciate if you understand how the UK system of government works.. Farage has no such dual role as an MP, but maybe overwhelmed by too many outside interests in particular those from overseas and representing non UK tax payers.

But backing a candidate who says he is sexist, questioning the Equality Act and maternity leave and heading a party which had undergone 3 name changes as well as having children who have opted for EU passports should raise concern on a largely womens’ forum.

Farage could have turned up to vote for reforms to the CFP

Were there such votes?

Not until five years later did the European Parliament have any meaningful say on fishing - when the Lisbon Treaty came into force late 2009.

Farage was a member of the Fisheries Committee from 2009 to 2014. He’d been a member from 1999 to 2004 and a substitute member from 2004 to 2009.

That’s 15 years of doing nothing and taking the money.

But backing a candidate who says he is sexist

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0mgzr3e18jo

Yes there were.

Farage isn't Leader of the Opposition. But like saying Gareth Southgate didn't turn up for cricket practice when he was manager of the England football team so it was ok for the village cricket team captain not to.

To be fair my local labour mp is the same, has 3 jobs in total including mp.

I dislike Farage but this isn’t an issue of just his, many MPs have different jobs. Farage happens to be one of the more
successful ones.

LOL, and mass immigration doesn"t fuck communities over? What is the most damaging harm Brexit has done to you personally?

Sooner this guy is gone the better.

6-8% loss of GDP does more harm than immigrants in the community.

Here is the irony. The Democrats will probably win the next US presidential election, just as UK goes Reform/Restore/Conservative.

Should get house prices down though, that will be a bonus?

Who is running?

Brexit gets house prices down? Didn't see that on a bus.

Hmm - interesting - we were told that immigration from other countries would rise as EU freedom of movement was stopped - this was a ‘good thing’ as we could take in folk from all over the world and not be restricted to Europe.

Now you’re complaining about mass immigration.

For the record this is one part of Brexit that I am ok with - drop of GDP eg not so much.

Damaging harm of Brexit:
Higher prices and customs duty.
Reduced benefits from UK passport; look how applications for Irish passports have increased.
Longer border control queues when visiting EU.
Reduced air passenger rights.
Reduced GDP.
Limit of time that can be spent in mainland Europe.
Less income from inbound tourism.

l could go on.

How does that work? And how does it help if nobody’s got any money to buy them?

Bugger all help if the GDP reduction means your wages have stagnated or your unemployed.

Personally? Damage the economy. It's like putting sanctions on your own country

But it's not any how it's affected me personally. It's how it's affected the whole country. And it's very much a negative

If you genuinely believe it's been a positive, I'd love to hear why you think so. Actual facts and figures would be great