Found: Russia’s GRU (responsible for influence and cyber operations), the UK’s referendum on Brexit, Nigel Farage

Found: Iranian accounts launched attacks on former UKIP leader Nigel Farage and former Foreign Secretary Boris

Found: criticism from those who wish to repeal it; among them, President Trump and Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage

Found: Nandy: I have had particular concerns raised with me by parliamentarians about the appearance of Nigel Farage

Found: understand that there is a very sensible rationale behind these reforms, when people such as Nigel Farage

Found: example, HC Deb 30 October 2024, c876 (Sammy Wilson, DUP), c876-77 (Matt Western, Labour), c878 (Nigel Farage

<p>Thank you, Tom. And, gosh, after all these exchanges we have had over the months, finally something we agree on. So, that's something to mark, isn't it? Obviously, it's essential that any party that is seeking to govern a country has something to say about education. I saw the reports in Schools Week that Nigel Farage did not respond when he was asked about Reform's education policies. In fact, the Reform press office told them that the education spokesperson role was now vacant, with no further explanation.</p>
<p>Education has also scored lowly amongst Reform loyalists when asked to name the biggest problems facing the country, and teachers actually came bottom amongst the groups the Government should protect when making spending decisions. So, I think that shows you where they're coming from. Unfortunately, that picture is being reflected in this Senedd, where our only Reform Member has turned down a place on the vital Children, Young People and Education Committee, where she had the opportunity to pursue issues on behalf of young people. If I can just conclude by also reminding the Member that, in the 2024 general election, Reform's priority was to give a 20 per cent tax relief on private school fees. That, of course, contrasts with our Labour Government, which has changed the VAT rules to ensure that we can raise more money to fund public education across the UK.</p>

<p>The Member for Cardiff Central is absolutely right to raise this point, because as we've heard, the former leader of Reform UK in Wales, and a former Member of this place, admitted to accepting those bribes in exchange for promoting those pro-Russian views whilst serving in the European Parliament—a clear and present danger to our democracy. And, worryingly, First Minister, this is not an isolated incident. The current Reform leader in Wales, who notably doesn't live here in Wales, is Nigel Farage. He has previously expressed admiration for Vladimir Putin and has repeated the false Russian narrative that the west provoked the illegal invasion of Ukraine. So, First Minister, would you agree with me that Reform UK present themselves as a clear and present danger to our national security here as well?</p>

<p>I absolutely do, Darren. It's good to agree with you on something. On this issue, I must say that we knew that Reform is a threat in Wales, that there is a real possibility of corruption and chaos, and now we have evidence of that through someone who was the former leader of Reform in Wales. I think we've all been appalled by the acts of the former leader of Reform in Wales, a person who was a Member of this Chamber, one of seven Members elected to the party led by Nigel Farage.&nbsp;By the end of the term, six of them had left. I think it is important that people recognise that the Brexit Party, again, previously led by Nigel Farage, voted against measures designed to counter Russian disinformation. This is really serious stuff, and I do think that there are questions to answer by people, not least Reform's candidate in the Caerphilly by-election, Llŷr Powell, who was employed as an adviser to Gill. I think we need to know what did he know, when did he know it and did he report it.</p>

<p>First Minister, before I go on to ask you about another important issue this afternoon, I want to ask you about some news that emerged last week. On Friday, the former leader of Reform UK here in Wales—and former Member, of course, of this Welsh Parliament—Nathan Gill, admitted to taking bribes to make pro-Russian statements in the European Parliament. The current Reform leader in Wales, who doesn't of course live in Wales, Nigel Farage, has disgustingly also cosied up to the Russians in the past. He's spoken openly of his admiration for Vladimir Putin, and even pushed the Russian propaganda lie that the west provoked the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine. Do you agree with me that Reform is a clear and present danger to our national security here in Wales and across our United Kingdom?</p>

<p>I am a bit astonished by the views from our single Reform person Member here, given the misinformation and disinformation coming from your party and from your leader in terms of people's rights and entitlements. I am horrified, in fact, by the misinformation and disinformation from Nigel Farage and from Reform. We've heard this afternoon, haven't we, about the candidate in the Caerphilly by-election who worked for Nathan Gill—who has now been proven guilty in terms of fraud and engagement <span style="text-decoration: underline;">with Russia.</span></p>

<p>Can I thank the Member for his question? Look, this is a matter for local authorities. It's their responsibility. But I do note that, in May, you made a statement on your website in which you commented on the rising costs of public transport, specifically buses, and for young people. It fails me to understand, therefore, why you didn't support the Welsh Labour budget that made provision for the £1 fare cap. That would have helped significantly, I imagine. And I think that it was in 2022 that you posted a video on YouTube, I think it was in response to the First Minister, where you raised concerns about post-16 travel and costs. I just don't understand—[<em>Interruption</em>.] I think I was the only person to view it, yes, you're right. But I just don't understand, therefore, why you opposed the Welsh Labour budget that made available a scheme that would only cost £1 at most for a young person to travel by bus.&nbsp;You should support that scheme because it is an enabling scheme; it is part of the solution to learner travel.</p>
<p>But learner travel doesn't have a single silver bullet. We don't have one answer to what is a very, very complicated challenge. We do know, based on an interview given by Nigel Farage this week, that he believes the solution to the learner travel conundrum is to get parents, wherever they are, to drive their children to school.&nbsp;I think he said something along the lines of, in the past, there were these things called parents that drove their children to school. So, he's recommending that Kent County Council significantly reduce the amount of investment that they make into school transport.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here in Wales, we've had the learner transport summit. So, work is taking place as a result of that summit, and it was an excellent event. It did shine a light on the many, many challenges that we face with school transport. Bus reform will be part of the solution as well, which again raises the question of why you are not supporting the general principles of bus control, which will enable us to better plan a network to meet the needs of learners.&nbsp;So, we are taking great strides in addressing the many challenges associated with learner travel, but there is no one silver bullet to this challenge.</p>

<p>Thank you very much. I think you're right to highlight the fact that many of our care homes are utterly dependent on people making a contribution who have not been born in Wales. It was interesting to see Mario Kreft, from your area, making that very point&nbsp;yesterday, and recognising that some of the proposals that are being put forward by Nigel Farage and his Reform party would make a massive, massive problem for our care sector. So, you're quite right: what is important is that we emphasise the contribution that these people are making to our communities and recognise that, one day, maybe our parents will be old, maybe we will be old, and we will be hoping that somebody will be there to look after us. If we carry on like this, it will be worth people taking a deep breath and realising there'll be nobody there to help us out.</p>