Nigel Farage, feeling uneasy, humorously suggested that even the Queen could have been a supporter of Putin, as he faced criticism for his admiration of the Russian leader. Keir Starmer has called for an inquiry into ties between Reform UK and Russia after the party’s former Welsh leader, Nathan Gill, was sentenced to over a decade in prison for accepting money to promote pro-Russian messages in the European Parliament.
Gill was handed a 10-and-a-half-year sentence for receiving £40,000 to advocate for Russia in the European Parliament. Responding to criticisms and questions about his views on Putin, Farage drew a peculiar comparison to Queen Elizabeth II, mentioning her meeting with Putin post his previous remarks. He emphasized that his past comments on Putin did not equate to supporting him.
Farage also downplayed Gill’s actions, attributing them to individual wrongdoing rather than a systemic issue within Reform UK or its predecessor, UKIP. He expressed difficulty in investigating past events and interactions within UKIP, emphasizing the challenges of such an inquiry.
The Reform leader has faced backlash for his past statements praising Putin and criticizing EU policies towards Russia, as well as his frequent appearances on Russian state-owned media. In recent times, he has been criticized for downplaying Ukraine’s prospects and suggesting Western involvement in prolonging the conflict.
Queen Elizabeth II has met President Putin on multiple occasions in her official capacity, including granting him a private audience at Windsor Castle in 2000 during his first visit to the UK as Russia’s president.