The Commons standards watchdog should hold Nigel Farage to account over his “dangerous comments” following the week’s violent disorder in the wake of the Southport murders, a Liverpool MP has said. Kim Johnson, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said Farage’s comments “cannot be left to fester” and should be examined by the parliamentary standards commissioner. Farage has released two videos since three children were murdered in Southport last week. In the first, he questioned whether police were withholding information about who was responsible for the murders. It came at a time when false information was circulating on social media that a Muslim asylum seeker was responsible, which fuelled disorder at a mosque in Southport. In a second video, Farage challenged Keir Starmer’s argument that the violent protests were the fault of the far right, saying it was “a reaction to fear, to discomfort, to unease that is out there shared by tens of millions of people”. Lee Anderson, the Reform MP and former Tory deputy chair, made a similar argument, writing on X: “This problem has been caused by smug politicians who have refused to listen to the concerns of British people. It has festered and now it has boiled over. Parliament must listen, parliament must act but it must not blame the British people.” He also referred to the prime minister as “Keir Stalin” in a reference to the Soviet dictator.
Senior politicians have held back from being too critical of Farage, although the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, said on Wednesday that there was “a level of responsibility … and it’s not to stoke up what conspiracy theories or what you think might have happened”. However, several members of the public claim on social media to have submitted complaints about the Reform leader to the parliamentary standards commissioner, who can investigate any behaviour that brings parliament into disrepute. Johnson said: “Nigel Farage’s dangerous comments cannot be left to fester. He is the voice of the EDL [English Defence League] in parliament, using his platform to spread fear and misinformation. Tensions are high and our politicians should be doing everything in our power to advocate for peace and unity, and support our communities standing resolutely against the racism and hatred displayed over the last few days. With so much at stake, we need urgent action from the Commons standards committee and the police to hold him to account.”
A Reform spokesperson said Farage had no communication about any complaint. The parliamentary standards commissioner does not confirm whether complaints are being looked at unless they become a formal investigation listed on his website. Daniel Greenberg, the commissioner, this week highlighted that he had previously cautioned politicians to “choose their language carefully”. Farage has previously said he was asking legitimate questions about the Southport tragedy. Reform on Sunday also criticised a Labour MP, Josh Fenton-Glynn, who posted that a Muslim woman had been subject to an acid attack by a violent protester, and then removed it because police said it was not true.
Zia Yusuf, Reform UK chair, wrote to Starmer accusing the MP of “spreading inflammatory disinformation on social media only added fuel to an already burning fire” and calling for a public apology. • This article was amended on 7 August 2024. Joseph Stalin was a Soviet dictator not a Russian dictator as an earlier version said.