Nigel Farage has urged Sir Keir Starmer to “change course” in a fresh energy demand during a tense exchange in Wednesday’s PMQs.
Putting his question to the Prime Minister, the Reform UK leader asked Sir Keir whether it was time the UK “followed Norway” and open up the North Sea for gas and oil extraction.
Mr Farage told the Prime Minister: “Over the course of the last year, our North Sea neighbours Norway have opened 49 drill sites for gas and oil. On our side of the North Sea, the number is zero.
“Given that our critical reserve of natural gas is down to two days, and how vulnerable we are and with talk potentially of energy rationing coming later this year, isn’t it time we changed course?”
He told MPs: “Isn’t it time we got rid of excessive taxation on the exploration companies, opened up the licences, became self-sufficient in natural gas and with that would come thousands of jobs, increased tax revenues and cheaper gas prices.
“Isn’t it time we followed Norway?”
Taking aim at the Reform UK leader, Sir Keir responded: “Mr Speaker, oil and gas will be part of the mix of our energy for many, many years to come.
“As I’ve said many, many times, but he’s now highlighting the consequences of the war that he said we should rush into.”
Nigel Farage makes energy demand during fiery PMQs session
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Accusing Mr Farage of “wanting us to go to war”, Sir Keir swiped at the Reform UK leader’s stance on the conflict in the Middle East.
Sir Keir told the House of Commons: “He wanted us to go to war. He said he was perfectly, perfectly clear that we should support the strikes.”
Mr Farage was left shaking his head in disbelief as Sir Keir threw the accusations his way.
Comparing his stance to that of Tory leader Kemi Badenoch’s, Sir Keir jibed: “Then, just like the leader of the opposition, a week later, he said, oh no, I got that one wrong.
The Prime Minister accused Mr Farage of ‘wanting the UK to go to war’
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“You can’t make mistakes about decisions as serious as committing to war. It is a gross error.”
In a further swipe at Mr Farage, Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey claimed that the Reform leader and the Tories want the UK to “rely on Donald Trump” for nuclear deterrents.
He told the Prime Minister: “Britain’s independent nuclear deterrent is critical for the defence of our nation and for the whole of Europe. But the current Trident missiles will reach the end of their lives in the 2040s, so we have to make a choice now.
“The Conservatives and Reform say we have to rely on President Trump and the United States, because we couldn’t possibly do it ourselves.
The Reform UK leader asked Sir Keir whether it was time the UK ‘followed Norway’
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“Does the Prime Minister agree with them?”
Sir Keir responded: “Mr Speaker, our independent nuclear deterrent protects us every day, and we should never forget how important it is, and it is important that we renew it.
“We will do that in the best interests of Britain. He’s openly advocating a plan which he doesn’t know how much it would cost and how much how it would work.
“That isn’t the way to deal with our independent nuclear deterrent.”