Nigel Farage to Address Trump Fundraiser Following 800 Hours of Non-Parliamentary Work Since Election

Nigel Farage is back in America, engaging in fundraising efforts for Donald Trump’s Republican party, with recent reports indicating that he has dedicated over 800 hours to external ventures since his election.

The leader of Reform UK is set to deliver a keynote address on Thursday evening at a fundraiser for Florida Republicans’ “Disruptors” dinner, with VIP tables for prominent “Trump sponsors” priced at $25,000 (£19,000).

Prior to this event, he missed the prime minister’s questions on Wednesday and did not attend the Commons session on Thursday.

Since being elected as the MP for Clacton in Essex last July, Farage has taken at least nine international trips, eight of which have been to the US, predominantly funded by donors or for paid engagements such as speeches.

In a statement from the US organizers, Farage expressed: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Republican party of Florida for the Disruptors Dinner.

“President Trump’s decisive win and return to the White House inspires us all to continue the fight for freedom globally. I can’t wait to be back in the Free State of Florida to celebrate with all of you.”

According to the MPs’ register of interests, Farage has logged approximately 800 hours of outside work since arriving in parliament, in addition to fulfilling his responsibilities as leader of the Reform party.

His responsibilities include paid social media engagements, contributions to the Telegraph, serving as a brand ambassador for a gold company, public speaking, and presenting for GB News, amounting to around 22 hours of additional work weekly since early July.

This total positions him alongside Geoffrey Cox, a highly compensated barrister and former attorney general, for the most time spent on external work in comparison to their roles as MPs. Between 2009 and 2021, Cox worked roughly 600 to 1,600 hours annually on outside interests.

Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington, Matt Western, remarked: “It’s embarrassing that Nigel Farage spent decades trying to enter parliament, and now that he has, he seems to do everything except represent his constituents in Clacton.”

Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson, stated: “Nigel Farage is behaving as if he’s the MP for Mar-a-Lago rather than Clacton-on-Sea. He’s a part-time parliamentarian, devoting more effort to Trump than to the people he represents. His party is in disarray, and it appears his priorities are equally muddled.”

Farage’s spokesperson was reached for comment. The Reform UK leader has previously defended his activities by asserting that he is representing Clacton on an international platform and highlighted his regular presence in his constituency, where he has also purchased a home.

Farage’s external endeavors and trips to the US haven’t seemingly impacted his party’s popularity, which is contending with Labour and the Tories in a three-way competition for dominance in the opinion polls.

On Thursday, Greg Smith, a Conservative shadow minister, alluded to the prospect of a pact with Farage’s party, despite Tory leader Kemi Badenoch’s assertion that it would not occur.

“If we want to eliminate socialism from this country, there might come a time when right-of-center parties need to cooperate,” he stated during a TalkTV interview.

The Liberal Democrats responded by calling for Smith’s resignation for making such comments.

Farage is attempting to move beyond the fallout with his former MP, Rupert Lowe, which has created discontent among grassroots members. Lowe had his whip suspended following allegations of abusive behavior towards the Reform chair, Zia Yusuf, which he denies.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Lowe described Farage as “messianic,” suggesting he should delegate more authority if he is serious about electoral success.

Several Reform branch officials have resigned due to this conflict, impacting the party during a crucial time as it prepares for a by-election in Runcorn, mayoral elections across several locations from Doncaster to Lincoln, and local council elections in May.