Liberal Democrat MP says Nigel Farage shoved her at state opening

Caroline Voaden, a Liberal Democrat MP, told the Guardian that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage grabbed her by the arm and tried to push past her during the state opening of parliament in May. She said a male colleague stepped in to stop the incident. Farage later confirmed there had been a “physical altercation” in parliament and said it prompted him to miss the budget proceedings. The exchange was reported after Farage disclosed the altercation on Wednesday. Both parties described the encounter as a breach of parliamentary decorum, with Voaden describing the act as a shove and Farage acknowledging the confrontation.

Why it matters

The incident raises questions about conduct among elected officials inside the chamber and has already affected parliamentary attendance for a key budget session.

Key details

Location

United Kingdom · Europe

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

29 Oct 2026, 23:24 IST

Key names

Nigel Farage, Female Lib Dem MP, Caroline Voaden, Reform UK

Section

Politics

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The GuardianFemale Lib Dem MP accuses Nigel Farage of shoving her in parliament 29 Oct, 23:24

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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