Nigel Farage skipped John Healey’s Budget following ‘physical altercation’ with MP

Speaking to journalists after Mr Healey’s Budget, Mr Farage said: “At the State Opening of Parliament, I didn’t want to, but I got involved in a physical altercation with an MP in the chamber.

“I didn’t make a fuss about it, I didn’t complain. But I could see, given my prayer card had been removed, I was heading towards another physical altercation.

The Reform UK leader revealed he was aware his prayer card had been removed ahead of Prime Minister’s Questions at midday.

“It’s like being at school,” Mr Farage added.

Mr Farage instead sat with a group of Reform UK economists while the Chancellor was delivering his Budget.

Despite 643 MPs taking their seats in the House of Commons, there is only enough room for 427 MPs to sit in the chamber at any one time.

To reserve a seat, MPs use a prayer card and place it in one of the holders on the green benches behind them.

However, Tory MP Alicia Kearns rejected Mr Farage’s version of events.

She said: “Any of the Reform MPs could have given their seat up for him.

“There were lots of seats without reservation, when exactly did Farage come into the chamber looking for a seat?”

Mr Farage made the claim about the physical altercation ahead of the State Opening of Parliament while delivering his verdict on Mr Healey’s Budget.

The Reform UK leader warned Labour was not being honest with the public about the challenges facing Britain in the next 12 months.

He pointed out unemployment is expected to rise to 5.1 per cent next year and argued Britain’s benefits bill will continue to balloon.

However, Mr Farage is still anticipating an early general election in May next year.

After being asked about the chances of a snap poll by GB News, the Clacton MP said: “It’s going to get worse and the borrowing figures are literally out of control.”

He added: “You actually look down the barrel of where we’re going, the debt and how the markets assess that debt, and what it means for interest rates, and you say, you know what, we better cut and run now because things are going to get substantially worse.”

Pressure is mounting on Mr Healey after he failed to set out how Labour intends to spend three per cent of GDP on defence by 2030.

The Chancellor, who resigned as Sir Keir Starmer’s Defence Secretary over spending commitments, has rejected calls to quit following today’s announcement.

Reform UK has committed to spending three per cent of GDP on defence by 2030 and Mr Farage is expected to announce his armed forces spokesman next week.

Despite Mr Farage’s early election warning, Andy Burnham rejected speculation about a snap poll next year.

The Prime Minister said: “I don’t know how many times I’ve done this now, but yes, I can rule out calling a general election in the next 12 months.

“I have said repeatedly since coming into this job, I’m not thinking about myself.

“I’m not thinking about my own party and its prospects.”

Mr Farage admitted the Chancellor’s maiden Budget was “competent” but stressed it was “deeply cynical”.

“It was in a different league to the two efforts by Rachel Reeves,” the Reform UK leader said.

He added: “But, behind it, a very deeply cynical agenda aimed at a general election and hiding the truth from everybody that they are all going to get poorer in every single year of the Labour Government.”

Meanwhile, Mr Jenrick labelled the Budget a “nothing burger”, warning: “Britain is broke and British people feel broken right now, and this is the best the Chancellor could deliver.”