Nigel Farage‘s Reform UK appears to be split over anti-bullying training for MPs after the party leader shunned the ‘woke‘ programme – but his four fellow MPs took part.
Mr Farage is among just six out of 650 MPs who have declined to take part in seminars about the ‘behaviour code’, which was brought in after a string of scandals.
All those newly elected are offered a place. But the official records show Mr Farage, Tory MPs Sir John Hayes, Neil O’Brien, and Caroline Johnson, and the DUP’s Sammy Wilson and Gregory Campbell have not attended.
A spokesman for the Reform leader told the Times: ‘Mr Farage has not taken part in ”behaviour code awareness training” and has no intention of engaging with this woke scheme.’
But the record shows that his four fellow Reform MPs, deputy leader Richard Tice, chief whip Lee Anderson, Rupert Lowe and James McMurdoch, have all completed the course.
It is the latest sign that Mr Farage is relaxed about his fellow MPs not agreeing with him on policy.
The five MPs also voted differently on whether to legalise assisted dying last month, with Tice, Anderson and Lowe voting in favour and Farage and McMurdoch against.
Mr Lowe, the Great Yarmouth MP, also split from his compadres to vote against reform of the voting system to a proportional representation system, despite experts saying it would help the party win more seats.
Mr Farage, pictured speaking at the New York Young Republican Club’s annual gala at Cipriani Wall Street last night, is among just six out of 650 MPs who have declined to take part in seminars about the ‘behaviour code’
The record shows that his four fellow Reform MPs, deputy leader Richard Tice (top, with Mr Farage), chief whip Lee Anderson (above), Rupert Lowe and James McMurdoch, have all completed the course.
According to Parliament’s website: ‘All newly elected MPs after the General Election are offered a place on ”The Behaviour Code: Why it matters” seminars as part of their induction programme. Members of the Parliamentary community are expected to attend.’
It says the purpose is helping to ‘ensure that everyone working at Parliament is able to recognise bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct, and feels confident taking action to tackle and prevent it.’
Charlotte Nichols, the former Labour frontbencher who has led efforts on clamping down on bullying in Parliament, told the Times: ‘As MPs are not just office holders but employers, it is vital that we practise what we preach on robust standards in the workplace, which includes a duty and responsibility to attend all relevant training to uphold those standards.
‘The culture of parliament has to change and MPs must lead on this.’
All those newly elected are offered a place at a seminar. But the official records show Mr Farage, Tory MPs Sir John Hayes (top), Neil O’Brien, and Caroline Johnson, and the DUP’s Sammy Wilson (above)and Gregory Campbell have not attended.
Ms Nichols, 33, last year claimed a Labour colleague sexually assaulted her and she was sexually propositioned by a Conservative MP old enough to be her grandfather.
Nichols previously said she was given a ‘whisper network list’ of people to avoid when she arrived in Westminster in 2019.
She made the revelation as she spoke about Parliament’s toxic ‘culture of impunity’ that meant many of them were still walking around.