Party Leaders Spar Over Ukraine After Farage Comments
The Tories and Labour both criticized Mr. Farage for suggesting that NATO and the EU had provoked Russia, and Sir Keir faced backlash for stating that Corbyn would have been a better leader than Johnson
Current and former party leaders clashed over Ukraine on Friday and Saturday in response to comments made by Nigel Farage and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir condemned Mr. Farage after he expressed his belief that NATO and the European Union were responsible for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Additionally, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson questioned Sir Keir’s support for Ukraine after he suggested that Corbyn would have performed better than Johnson.
During a BBC Panorama special program on Friday, Mr. Farage expressed his admiration for Putin’s political tactics while criticizing his actions. He attributed his foresight about the war in Ukraine to the expansion of NATO and the EU which gave Putin a reason to retaliate.
Mr. Farage’s remarks were met with criticism from Tory ministers and Labour shadow defense secretary John Healey.
On social media, Mr. Cleverly condemned Mr. Farage for echoing Putin’s justifications for the invasion of Ukraine and urged voters not to support the Reform party.
Both Mr. Sunak and Sir Keir rebuked Mr. Farage’s comments on Saturday during their campaign trails.
Sir Keir deemed Mr. Farage’s remarks disgraceful, stressing the need for a unified stand against Russia’s aggression.
Starmer: Corbyn Better Than Johnson
Sir Keir faced scrutiny for endorsing Mr. Corbyn despite expelling him from the Labour party. During a BBC Question Time special, Sir Keir avoided directly endorsing Corbyn, but implied that he would have been a better leader than Johnson.
Mr. Johnson criticized Sir Keir’s support for Corbyn, highlighting the potential dangers of a Labour government led by individuals like Corbyn.
Mr. Johnson called on Sir Keir to retract his statements endorsing Corbyn and expressed concerns about Labour’s commitment to Ukraine under a Corbyn leadership.
In a 2022 interview, Mr. Corbyn emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution in Ukraine without escalating the conflict.
PA Media contributed to this report.
