Nigel Farage skips crucial EU update to go on holiday in latest shameless move

Nigel Farage has been branded a "part time leader" after jetting off on holiday and missing the chance to grill the PM on his EU deal.

The Reform leader was slammed for "sunning himself in Europe" while the Commons was sitting. Earlier gleefully pointed out that he was missing as he updated MPs on the landmark agreement and took questions.

Mr Farage was absent despite criticising the UK-EU reset agreement in the press, calling it a "surrender". A Tory spokesman said "the part-time leader of Reform UK is sunning himself in Europe while Parliament is sitting".

He continued: "He clearly doesn’t have the stamina to stand up to Starmer." And a spokesman said: “ clearly cares so passionately about this issue he’s decided he can’t get up from his sunbed to represent his constituents or his party.

“He’s not a leader – he’s an opportunist who just talks Britain down whenever it suits him."

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Rumours had circulated Westminster for hours that the MP for Clacton, Essex, was on a walking holiday in France. Asked by The if this was correct he responded simply: "Rubbish sources."

However he later put out a statement through Reform HQ stating: “There seems to be great consternation in the press that they have not seen me for 48 hours. Well, they will have to wait some time.

“After months of touring the UK in the run up to our hugely successful local election campaign I will resume travelling the country next week as Reform moves to the next stage.

"Meanwhile I am having my first overseas break for three years, the jungle excepted (he appeared in I'm A Celeb last year). Well I say break… plenty of articles and fundraising calls!”

The Commons does not go into recess until the end of Thursday. Former Tory minister Sir Simon Clarke said: "For Farage to be absent this week of all weeks just about sums it up - his politics is about ego, social media, anything but the hard yards of holding the Government to account in Parliament."

Labour MP Connor Naismith claimed the Reform leader was "absolutely melting on holiday when he should be at work". With Mr Farage overseas it fell to his underling Richard Tice to quiz the Prime Minister.

The Reform leader has been outspoken in his criticism of Mr Starmer's deal with the EU, which includes a range of measures on defence, trade, policing and tackling illegal migration.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Starmer said a "hat-trick of deals" with the EU, the US and India show the UK is "back on the stage". He claimed the agreement with Europe would drive down bills, create new jobs, and strengthen the UK's borders.

The PM also accused Tory leader of "opposing everything" and branding her response to the EU deal "unserious". Voicing his frustration that opponents were talking down the agreement, which has been backed by dozens of business leaders, Mr Starmer said: "I wonder whether that long list of businesses coming out to support this deal will temper the reaction of the Leader of the Opposition (Mrs Badenoch) in her response.

"But then again, for weeks now, she has been dismissive of the benefits of any trade deal, in defiance, frankly, of her party's history.

"But it's not just them. It's also the member for Clacton (Mr Farage) - who is not here - the member for Kingston (Sir Ed Davey), who have both shown in their own ways, that their parties simply do not care.

"And if your whole approach to our allies is about striking a pose, then you don't get to strike a deal."