Row erupts after Farage claims he cannot hold MP surgery due to attack fears

Nigel Farage is at the centre of a row after he claimed security concerns had prevented him from holding surgeries in his Essex constituency.

- KATE DEVLIN

Before he was elected to Westminster, the Reform UK leader famously asked: “Do I want to be an MP? Do I want to spend every Friday for the next five years in Clacton?”

Now he has said he was told not to hold the face-to-face meetings with voters, traditionally held on the last day of the week, for safety reasons. But parliament’s security services have disputed the suggestion he was given that advice, which would interfere with his democratic duties as an MP.

The row erupted after the ex-Ukip leader was asked during a phone-in on LBC whether he had held any surgeries in his seat. Mr Farage replied “not yet”, but that he would “when parliament allows me”.