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Watch: Farage attacks Bercow in first Commons speech

(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

To the House of Commons, where party leaders are making their first post-election speeches. And for the first time, Nigel Farage MP gets to join in too. The Reform leader and newly-elected member of parliament for Clacton addressed his colleagues this afternoon, dubbing his party’s five MPs ‘the new kids on the block’, admitting to chuckles that ‘we have no experience in parliament whatsoever, though many us have tried, many times over the years previously, to get here’.

But the laughter turned to groans after Farage praised current Speaker Lindsay Hoyle – and turned his speech into an attack on his predecessor…

We can’t judge you for working in this place, but we can judge you from the way the outside world sees you. I don’t just mean the United Kingdom, I mean the world – because Prime Minister’s Question is global, box office politics.

And it’s pretty clear to everybody that you act with neutrality, that you bring tremendous dignity to the role as Speaker.

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Steerpike
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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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