Reform’s parliamentary party appears to have become even more divided as Nigel Farage has refused to take anti-bullying training, labelling it as “woke,” despite his fellow four MPs taking part.
New and returning MPs were invited to seminars outlining the rules on conduct, including harassment and sexual misconduct. Sanctions for breaching these rules can include being made to apologise and suspension from the Commons- which, if it is for more than ten days, can trigger a by-election.
Post-election parliamentary data shows that 637 MPs have been on the training, eight are on the waiting list and five have yet to attend.
Reform leader Nigel Farage is one of the MPs who have declined the offer. His spokesperson told the Times: “Mr Farage has not taken part in ‘behaviour code awareness training’ and has no intention of engaging with this woke scheme.”
The other MPs who have declined the offer are Conservative MPs Neil O’Brien and Dr Caroline Johnson, along with the DUP’s Sammy Wilson and Gregory Campbell.
The four other Reform MPs have completed the anti-bullying training.
Last month, the party’s chief whip Lee Anderson was told to apologise in the Commons after he broke parliament’s bullying and harassment policy after twice swearing at a security officer.
“I give you and this House my firm assurance that I have learned significant lessons through this process and a firm undertaking that such behaviour on my part will never happen again,” he told MPs.
However, this isn’t the first time Reform’s parliamentary party of five has been divided.
Rupert Lowe, the Great Yarmouth MP, also split from his party’s ranks in December to vote against reforming the voting system to proportional representation.
In the same month, Nigel Farage and James McMurdock were the only Reform MPs to oppose the Assisted Dying Bill, while Lee Anderson, Richard Tice, and Rupert Lowe voted in favour.
According to reports, policy differences aren’t the only divides in Reform. The party appointed Zia Yusuf as their chairman earlier this year to “professionalise” it. However, insiders are growing uneasy with Mr Yusuf’s internal structure, including the exodus of long-serving communications director Gawain Towler.
Labour MP Charlotte Nichols, who has led efforts to clamp down on bullying in Westminster, has encouraged all parliamentarians to take up the anti-bullying training.
She told the Times: “As MPs are not just office holders but employers, it is vital that we practise what we preach on robust standards in the workplace, which includes a duty and responsibility to attend all relevant training to uphold those standards.
“The culture of parliament has to change and MPs must lead on this.”