Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden has accused Reform UK leader Nigel Farage of grabbing her and pushing her aside during the State Opening of Parliament on 13 May 2026. Reform UK denies her account.
The allegation came to public attention on Thursday 29 October after Farage cited an earlier parliamentary confrontation when explaining why he had stayed away from Wednesday’s Budget proceedings in the House of Commons.
What Caroline Voaden alleges
Voaden, the MP for South Devon, told the Guardian that Farage had tried to pass MPs who were moving towards the House of Lords for the King’s Speech. According to her account, he told her to let him past and she replied that he should wait his turn.
She alleged that Farage grabbed her by the arm or shoulder and pushed her sideways, causing her to stumble into a colleague or the wall. Voaden said another MP intervened because he feared she might fall down the stairs.
In a subsequent statement reported by ITV News, Voaden called the alleged conduct “unacceptable in any workplace”. She said she had raised the incident with parliamentary authorities and was still awaiting an apology she believed Farage had been asked to provide.
What Reform UK says
Reform UK disputes Voaden’s account. A party source told the Guardian that Liberal Democrat MPs had behaved aggressively towards Farage, while Reform sources argued that video footage contradicted her version of events.
Farage himself had referred to a “physical altercation” during the State Opening of Parliament and said he wanted to avoid another confrontation. Reform’s Robert Jenrick dismissed the dispute as a Westminster row rather than addressing Voaden’s allegation directly when questioned on television.
What the footage does and does not show
Footage from the parliamentary broadcast shows MPs moving through the Commons area around the relevant time. It does not clearly show the alleged contact. The Liberal Democrats say the alleged shove occurred before the available sequence began.
The footage should therefore not be treated as proof that a shove occurred, or as proof that it did not. No independent finding establishing either account has been identified in the reporting reviewed by Fish 4 News.
Why the row resurfaced during the Budget
Farage said he had stayed away from the Commons Budget debate on Wednesday 28 October after discovering that a prayer card used to reserve his seat had been removed. He linked the decision to concerns about another confrontation.
However, a House of Commons spokesperson said the card was removed because it did not carry a valid date stamp. Under Parliament’s published rules and traditions, MPs can use dated prayer cards to reserve a Commons seat for the remainder of the sitting day.
That official explanation addresses why the card was removed. It does not establish the reason for Farage’s decision to miss the debate.
What remains unconfirmed
- The precise physical contact during the May incident and which account of it is correct.
- Whether parliamentary authorities formally directed Farage to send a written apology, as Voaden says she was led to believe.
- Whether any formal investigation or disciplinary outcome resulted from the complaint.
The allegation, Reform UK’s denial and the House of Commons’ explanation of the prayer card are separate matters. None should be presented as proving the others.
