Reform MPs have only taken part in 30% of Parliamentary defence debates, analysis shows

Does Nigel Farage’s party really care about defence? Reform like to portray themselves as staunch ‘defenders of Britain’ and patriots, however new analysis has revealed that its MPs have taken part in just 30% of parliamentary defence debates.

The findings come at a time of growing concerns over national security, amid threats from a belligerent Russia and rising tensions in the Middle East. NATO has warned that member countries could be at war within five years.

Reform is yet to have a defence spokesperson despite the growing salience of the issue, with the party’s deputy leader Richard Tice claiming on GB News that Farage himself is the party’s defence spokesperson.

The Independent reports that new analysis shows Reform have taken little interest in defence issues.

It states: “Out of 210 defence debates and questions in parliament from the King’s Speech in July 2024 until 15 July 2026, Mr Farage only spoke in 10 of them, missing another four because he had stepped down as an MP to call a by-election in his Clacton constituency.

“Of the 10 defence-related interventions in parliament by Mr Farage, nine were on the Chagos Islands debate over Sir Keir Starmer’s controversial attempts to hand them over to Mauritius and lease back the crucial Diego Garcia base.

Out of a total of 210 defence debates, Reform’s MPs only participated in 63 of them, equating to 30%. They took no part in 147 defence debates.

Meanwhile, Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems took part in 100% of the debates.

So much for being staunch patriots defending Britain.