Nigel Farage swiftly rebutted Ms Atkins’ claim (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage has slapped down shadow minister Victoria Atkins after she claimed Reform UK was to blame for Labour’s whopping Parliamentary majority following July’s general election telling her the Tories only have themselves to blame.
Ms Atkins had been eager to point the finger at the Eurosceptic party during an interview with GB News when asked by host Camilla Tominey whether Reform was more successful than the Tories in holding Sir Keir Starmer’s `government to account.
She replied: “Oh, I don’t think that’s true at all. Sadly, the Reform Party has contributed to the loss of many excellent and hard-working Conservative MPs from this Parliament, which has resulted in Labour’s super-majority.
“So, my message to voters is clear: if you’re as fed up with this government as I am, then please support us, the Conservatives, in defeating them at the next election. If I may, I’d like to highlight the broader theme of this government’s hypocrisy – there’s certainly a lot to address.
“When asked if Tory MPs should follow Nigel Farage’s example by not claiming energy bills on expenses, Atkins said: “I’m sorry, no Conservative will ever follow Mr Farage’s lead.
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Shadow Environment Minister Victoria Atkins (Image: Getty)
“The reason this issue is in the spotlight is because of Labour’s decision to remove winter fuel payments from pensioners. That’s the real problem – it’s why we forced a vote on Labour MPs and highlighted their hypocrisy. I’m afraid I won’t be taking any cues from Nigel Farage.”
“It’s up to individual MPs to decide on their expenses claims. However, I will say this: we, as Conservatives, are providing the most effective opposition to this Budget full of broken promises. We’re working hard to hold this government to account, but we need people to support us to strengthen that effort.”
Her response got short shrift from the recently elected MP for Clacton, who told Express.co.uk: “Victoria Atkins needs to be more honest with herself.
“The Tories lost the election because they betrayed their promises.
Sir Keir Starmer and wife Victoria outside Number 10 in July (Image: Getty)
“The reason this issue is in the spotlight is because of Labour’s decision to remove winter fuel payments from pensioners. That’s the real problem – it’s why we forced a vote on Labour MPs and highlighted their hypocrisy. I’m afraid I won’t be taking any cues from Nigel Farage.”
“It’s up to individual MPs to decide on their expenses claims. However, I will say this: we, as Conservatives, are providing the most effective opposition to this Budget full of broken promises. We’re working hard to hold this government to account, but we need people to support us to strengthen that effort.”
Her response got short shrift from the recently elected MP for Clacton, who told Express.co.uk: “Victoria Atkins needs to be more honest with herself.
“The Tories lost the election because they betrayed their promises.
Nigel Farage highlighted the large numbers of boats crossing the English Channel (Image: Getty)
“One million net came into the UK in 2023, for this they should never be forgiven.”
Ms Watkins continued: “We’ve seen today’s headlines about a government removing allowances from vulnerable pensioners who are surviving on incomes of £13,000 or £14,000, and expecting them to make up the shortfall.
“This is going to have a real impact on some of the most vulnerable members of our society, and we also need to consider the issues surrounding the family farm tax.”
On changes to the winter fuel allowance, Ms Atkins added: “The most effective way to fight this policy isn’t to let the leader of a minority party make these claims but to act as a strong and effective opposition to this Labour government, highlighting the flaws in their Budget.
Nigel Farage hails rise in young support for Reform UK
“Labour’s massive hike in National Insurance is another issue – it’s set to have widespread consequences, including job losses.
“We must also scrutinise the family farm tax and the hypocrisy revealed in reports this weekend of a Labour MP’s family restructuring their finances just ahead of the Budget to avoid inheritance tax.”
In the past Nigel Farage has attributed the Conservative Party’s historic defeat in the July 2024 UK general election to what he described as their failure to address voters’ frustrations over key issues like immigration, economic stagnation, and trust in leadership.
He criticised the Tories for losing credibility due to scandals such as ‘Partygate’ and the mishandling of policies during the Truss and Sunak administrations. Mr Farage also highlighted that his Reform UK party siphoned significant support from disenchanted Conservative voters, particularly in former Tory strongholds, contributing to a fragmented right-wing vote under the first-past-the-post system.
This dynamic prevented the Conservatives from effectively challenging Labour or maintaining their traditional voter base.
