One of Farage’s warm-up acts was Harald Vilimsky, a leading figure in Austria’s far-right Freedom Party
Nigel Farage has form for when it comes to sharing platforms with far-right bigots. In the latest example, the Reform UK leader flew off to the U.S. for the third time since being elected as MP for Clacton in July, in order to appear as a guest speaker for a right-wing American think-tank.
Farage has faced much criticism for his lack of dedication to his constituents in Clacton since being elected, as he dedicates his time to media appearances and speeches.
Last week, he gave the keynote address at an anniversary dinner for the Heartland Institute – an American right-wing think tank that promotes climate change denial and wants to repeal Barack Obama’s accessible health care reforms.
The Good Law Project reports that ‘one of Farage’s warm-up acts was Harald Vilimsky, a leading figure in Austria’s far-right Freedom Party. Vilimsky, who leads the party’s delegation in the European Parliament, has been accused as being “Putin’s outstretched arm” and has called for a referendum in Austria on Russian sanctions’.
In 2016, the Freedom Party signed a friendship treaty with Putin’s United Russia to ensure ideological and organisational co-operation.
That Farage is so comfortable in sharing a platform with someone who opposes sanctions on Russia after Putin’s war in Ukraine, speaks volumes.
A platinum table ticket for the dinner with Farage came with a $50,000 price tag. So much for being a man of the people.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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