Reform and Farage ‘don’t do defence’ in parliament, new analysis shows
New analysis suggests Reform UK MPs took part in 30 per cent of parliamentary debates and question sessions on defence, while Nigel Farage spoke in fewer than 5 per cent. The findings have renewed questions about the party’s attention to defence as it presents itself as a potential government and security concerns rise.
From the King’s Speech in July 2024 to 15 July 2026, MPs participated in 63 of 210 defence sessions and missed 147; Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats participated in all of them. Farage spoke in 10 sessions, nine concerning the Chagos Islands, while Richard Tice made 31 interventions. Reform plans to appoint a shadow armed forces minister, and a party source dismissed the analysis as focused on parliamentary debates they considered out of touch.
In short
- Reform MPs attended 30 per cent of defence sessions.
- Farage spoke in 10 of 210 sessions.
- Reform plans to appoint a shadow armed forces minister.
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The case for
A party presenting itself as a potential government should show sustained attention to defence, and participation in parliamentary debates and questions is one way voters can judge its scrutiny and preparedness. Reform MPs’ absence from most sessions, and Farage’s limited contributions beyond Chagos, may therefore raise legitimate questions about how closely the party is engaging with security policy.
The case against
Attendance figures alone may not capture a party’s broader work on defence or the quality of its contributions, and parliamentary sessions may be a poor measure of practical engagement if, as Reform’s source argues, they are out of touch. Reform could also make its case through other channels, while its plan to appoint a shadow armed forces minister suggests it intends to develop more formal scrutiny.
Explained simply
Reform UK is a political party led by Nigel Farage, who became an MP in 2024. Its deputy leader, Richard Tice, is also an MP. The party has said it wants to be a potential party of government.
Defence debates and question sessions are occasions in Parliament for MPs to scrutinise military policy and ask ministers about the armed forces and national security. The Chagos Islands, which Farage has discussed in Parliament, are in the Indian Ocean and are linked to a UK-US military base.
Parliamentary participation can show which issues MPs choose to raise, though it does not capture all their work or establish their views on policy. Defence matters because decisions about the armed forces, security and military commitments affect the country and its international relationships.