Nigel Farage has rejected criticism that comments he made online had “whipped up” rioters in Southport, as the Reform UK leader was branded “nothing better than Tommy Robinson in a suit”.
Mr Farage doubled down on remarks he made in a social media video in which he questioned “whether the truth is being withheld from us” following the killings of three girls in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club this week.
The newly-elected MP has come in for strong criticism, including from Brendan Cox, husband of murdered MP Jo Cox.
Mr Cox told BBC Radio Four’s Today programme Mr Farage’s remarks were “right out of the Trump playbook” and make him “nothing better than a Tommy Robinson in a suit”.
He added: “It is beyond the pale to use a moment like this to spread your narrative and to spread your hatred, and we saw the results on Southport’s streets last night.”
Mr Farage had posted a video on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday in which he said he had “one or two questions” as he speculated about whether the stabbing suspect was being monitored by security services.
He added: “I just wonder whether the truth is being withheld from us. I don’t know the answer to that, but I think it is a fair and legitimate question.”
In an interview with the PA news agency following Mr Cox’s remarks, Mr Farage maintained his position.
He insisted he had “merely expressed a sense of sadness and concern that is being felt by absolutely everybody I know – ‘what the hell is going on?'”
Referring to other recent incidents, he said it is “quite legitimate to ask questions”.
He told PA: “I think it’s perfectly reasonable to ask what is happening to law and order in our country.
“And who are the perpetrators? Why? Very legitimate questions I was asking, and to conflate that with EDL (English Defence League) or anybody else, frankly, it’s desperate stuff.”
I lost my brother to terrorism.
To ramp up hatred on line by claiming the Southport attack was terrorist related (culminating in riots, a mosque damaged and 27 police injured) is not just reprehensible but needs addressing.
Otherwise it will happen again.
Disgusted how a… https://t.co/NnPantRYgy— Tobias Ellwood (@Tobias_Ellwood) July 31, 2024
Asked about Mr Cox’s comparisons of Mr Farage with Mr Robinson, the Clacton MP added: “The comment is beneath contempt.”
Mr Robinson had posted a video online on Tuesday with the comment: “None of us are feeling safe in our own country, in our own towns.”
In the angry three-minute video, Mr Robinson accused the UK government and police of “endangering our country” as he claimed they care more about people coming to the UK from other countries “than British children”.
Scotland’s ex-first minister Humza Yousaf has called for the EDL to be banned under terror laws in the wake of the unrest, which Merseyside Police said was believed to involve supporters of the group that had been founded and formerly led by Mr Robinson.
Mr Robinson said what he described as the “mainstream media” was blaming the EDL for the trouble, but he insisted the group “hasn’t existed in a decade”.
Former MP Tobias Ellwood accused Mr Farage of deliberately enflaming tensions after the Southport stabbings, and called on him to delete his video on X.
Replying to the video, Mr Ellwood wrote: “I lost my brother to terrorism.
“To ramp up hatred online by claiming the Southport attack was terrorist related (culminating in riots, a mosque damaged and 27 police injured) is not just reprehensible but needs addressing. Otherwise it will happen again.
“Disgusted how a sitting MP deliberately enflames tensions without any justification.
“Farage should delete this tweet.”
Labour MP Jess Phillips suggested Mr Farage could have attended Parliament to ask questions when a statement was delivered giving an update on the incident on Tuesday.
She wrote on X: “Nigel Farage could yesterday have had the questions, he claims are unanswered, answered if he had bothered to turn up to parliament and ask them during the statement on the incidents in Southport. He didn’t turn up, he grifted instead.”
Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner criticised the “disgraceful” rioting in Southport fired up by “disrespectful” online theories.
Without referring to Mr Farage, she told ITV’s This Morning: “Speculation and some of the untruths that have been put around social media, not only is that creating tensions and fear in the community, but it’s disrespectful to family who maybe want those answers that haven’t got those answers.
“My plea is that we all need to step back and just wait and then that information will come but allow the police to do their work”.
The 17-year-old suspect in the Southport killings cannot be named for legal reasons because of his age.
He was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents and is from the village of Banks, just outside Southport.
The suspect remains in custody accused of murder and attempted murder.
