It might be the day after the Budget, but for Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats the biggest argument is over something more physical than fiscal.

The messy story began before Chancellor John Healey stood up to deliver his statement, when reporters in the press gallery noticed Nigel Farage was nowhere to be seen.

Seven Reform MPs were sitting in their usual spot on the green benches behind the Liberal Democrats, with only the leader missing from the party ranks.

When Farage was asked about his absence from one of the most important events of the parliamentary year at a press conference that afternoon, he gave a rather intriguing answer.

He said: ‘At the state opening of Parliament, I got involved… I didn’t want to… but I got involved in a physical altercation with an MP in the chamber.

‘I didn’t make a fuss about it, I didn’t complain, but I could see given that my prayer card had been removed, I was heading towards another physical altercation.’

The prayer card is a small piece of paper used by MPs to reserve a seat in the House of Commons. If it was removed, that means Farage would not be guaranteed somewhere to sit during the session.

However, MPs lined up to pour cold water on the Reform leader’s claim.

Independent MP Rosie Duffield, who was previously in Labour, said it was ‘utter rubbish’ as the Budget ‘wasn’t rammed at all’ and he would not have struggled to find somewhere to sit even without reserving a place.

Alicia Kearns of the Conservatives described it as ‘total bull’, suggesting any of the other Reform MPs could have given up their seat for their leader.

But the most intriguing response came from Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden, who took issue with Farage’s description of his ‘altercation’ in May.

She wrote on X: ‘And we both know that’s not true Nigel don’t we?

‘I’m still waiting for the apology you were required to write to me… Though I won’t hold my breath.’

Indeed, Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper later confirmed in an interview with Sky News that two of her party’s MPs were caught up in the original incident.

She said: ‘My understanding – I didn’t see it, I wasn’t there – my understanding is that he physically shoved one of our female MPs out of the way, and that one of our male MPs then challenged him on that.’

A Lib Dem spokesperson also described Reform’s version of events as ‘utter nonsense’, though they slightly toned down the allegation by saying Farage merely ‘attempted to shove’ a woman MP at the state opening of Parliament.

The war of words continued when Robert Jenrick was grilled on Sky News about the five-month-old row.

He said: ‘As I understand it, some petty, bolshie Lib Dem MP – I don’t know their name, because I actually don’t know most of the Lib Dem MPs’ names – got in the way when [Farage] was trying to do his job.’

Likewise, a spokesperson for Reform said Cooper’s account was ‘not true at all’, as ‘it was the Lib Dem MPs being aggressive towards Nigel’.

They added for good measure: ‘This is typical Lib Dem dishonesty in an attempt to stay relevant.’

And in the meantime, John Healey’s all-important Budget is beginning to impact people across the country. You can find ‘s coverage of the important stuff here.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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