Smoking fan Farage picks TV gig over Commons vote on smoking ban

The Reform leader skipped the vote, which was held at 6.45pm, to present his GB News programme at 7pm. The right wing channel is a big earner for Farage, who in his last update to the register of members’ interests admitted that he had received a payment of £60,388.80 from GB News in September, for 20 hours’ work. That works out to nearly £3,020 per hour.

He told viewers: “I bet I get a load of stick for appearing on here at 7pm. Because this afternoon we have a debate on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill’s second reading. Believe you me, the Cromwellians are fully in charge.

“The reason I’m not voting at 7pm is because it is going to pass with a majority of about 300, I think, and I think I’m better off here debating national issues on GB News in a situation like that.”

Rather than discussing the smoking ban, Farage quizzed guests Mary Jo Jacobi, a former aide to Ronald Reagan, and the Institute of Export and International Trade’s Marco Forgione on his friend Donald Trump’s plans to slap tariffs on imports to the US from abroad – or, as GB News’ caption writers spelled it, ‘tarriffs’. (“I actually think a genuine free trade deal with America – and yeah, sure, they treat their chickens with chlorine, but you can put that on the labels – but I think, particularly in financial services and other areas, could be very good for London and New York,” Farage opined in cheering news for his beloved British farmers.)

Incidentally, former prime minister Rishi Sunak also failed to vote for the ban – even though it was his idea in the first place. The policy was picked up by the Labour government after July’s general election.