In a scathing rebuke, Defence Secretary John Healy has questioned Nigel Farage’s trustworthiness when it comes to Britain’s national security. Healy’s comments come after the Reform UK chief refused to support the deployment of British troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.
Healy told the Mirror newspaper: “I wouldn’t trust Farage with Britain’s national security. A man who won’t back the commitment for British troops. A man who admires President Putin, who runs a party of Russian apologists.” The Labour minister also referenced the party’s former leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, who was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison for accepting Russian bribes while serving in the European Parliament.
Farage’s stance on the potential troop deployment is at odds with the position of Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader. Starmer has stated that MPs will have the opportunity to vote on the final number of troops sent to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal. The plan involves British and French forces helping to train Ukrainian troops and protect stockpiles of weaponry, with the aim of deterring future Russian aggression.
However, Farage has criticised the proposal, arguing that it would not work in its current form as only “two countries” – Britain and France – had committed to a military presence in post-war Ukraine. The Reform UK leader told Times Radio: “It would be a very interesting vote. I would vote against. We neither have the manpower nor the equipment to go into an operation that clearly has no ending timeline.”
In response, Healy expressed confidence in the capabilities of the British armed forces, stating: “Our British forces will always do the job that we need them to do. They’ll do the job to defend us, they’ll do the job to deter us. They’ll do the job if we require them to deploy to any part of the world. I have no doubt about that and have full confidence in them.”
A spokesperson for Reform UK said the party is committed to increasing defence spending to 3% of GDP within six years, faster than the government’s current plan. However, they acknowledged that “until then, the British Army has neither the manpower nor the equipment to take on a long-term mission.”
The debate over Britain’s role in a potential post-war Ukraine has raised questions about Farage’s commitment to national security and his relationship with Russia. Healy’s scathing remarks suggest that the Defence Secretary sees Farage’s stance as a threat to the country’s interests, further intensifying the political tensions surrounding this issue.