Defence Secretary John Healey has launched a blistering attack on Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, stating he would not trust him with Britain's national security. The Labour cabinet minister's comments come after Mr Farage said he would vote against deploying UK troops to Ukraine as part of a potential future peacekeeping mission.
Healey's Scathing Critique of Farage's Stance
In an interview with The Mirror on Saturday 17 January 2026, Mr Healey did not mince his words. "I wouldn't trust Farage with Britain's national security," he declared. The Defence Secretary criticised the Reform chief for refusing to back a commitment for British troops and linked him to pro-Russian sentiment.
"A man who won't back the commitment for British troops. A man who admires President Putin, who runs a party of Russian apologists," Mr Healey added. He also referenced the party's former leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, who was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison for accepting Russian bribes while serving as an MEP. "This is a man whose leader in Wales was a paid, hired hand for Putin," Healey stated.
Farage's Opposition to UK Troop Deployment
The row centres on plans, outlined by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer earlier this month, for British and French forces to help train Ukrainian troops and protect weapon stocks in the event of a peace deal. This mission is intended to deter future Russian aggression, with MPs promised a vote on final troop numbers.
However, Nigel Farage, the MP for Clacton, has vehemently opposed the strategy. He told Times Radio last week that he would vote against it, arguing the plan in its current form is flawed as only Britain and France have committed to a military presence. "We neither have the manpower nor the equipment to go into an operation that clearly has no ending timeline," Farage said.
He compared the proposed mission to the British Army of the Rhine, noting that during that deployment, defence spending was 5% of national expenditure and lasted for 50 years.
Confidence in Forces and Reform's Defence Pledge
Responding to Farage's scepticism about military capabilities, Mr Healey expressed full confidence in the British armed forces. "Our British forces will always do the job that we need them to do. They'll do the job to defend us, they'll do the job to deter us. They'll do the job if we require them to deploy to any part of the world. I have no doubt about that," he told The Mirror.
A spokesperson for Reform UK countered by highlighting the party's commitment to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP within six years, a faster timeline than the government's. The spokesperson stated: "Until then, the British Army has neither the manpower nor the equipment to take on a long term mission. Nigel Farage has been clear: A Reform government would defend NATO airspace from Russian aggression."
The dispute underscores deep political divisions over the UK's future defence posture and its role in European security, particularly regarding the long-term response to the war in Ukraine.
