--- title: Nigel Farage Called a 'Putin-Loving Impostor' in Congress description: Nigel Farage testified in front of Congress on Wednesday during a hearing about "Europe's threat to American Speech and innovation." canonical: https://time.com/7314225/nigel-farage-congress-hearing-trump-relationship-free-speech/ author: Callum Sutherland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-09-03T18:59:26.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-19T08:10:39.969Z article:section: Politics og:title: Nigel Farage Called a 'Putin-Loving Impostor' in Congress og:description: Farage testified in front of Congress during a hearing about "Europe's threat to American Speech and innovation." og:url: https://time.com/7314225/nigel-farage-congress-hearing-trump-relationship-free-speech/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta114054da5fa1434/6998c97da97fc0a3a8a74a45/farage-congress-free-speech-sep3.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: UK Politician Nigel Farage Testifies At US House Judiciary Hearing On Censorship og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Nigel Farage Called a 'Putin-Loving Impostor' in Congress twitter:description: Farage testified in front of Congress during a hearing about "Europe's threat to American Speech and innovation." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta114054da5fa1434/6998c97da97fc0a3a8a74a45/farage-congress-free-speech-sep3.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # British Lawmaker Nigel Farage Called a 'Putin-Loving Free Speech Impostor' and 'Trump Sycophant' in Congress > Sponsored content. 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British lawmaker and leader of the Reform UK party Nigel Farage testified in front of Congress during a hearing on how the online policies of the U.K. and the European Union pose a threat to “American speech and innovation.” Claiming that the U.K. has “sunk into” an “awful authoritarian situation,” Farage used examples from his homeland to deliver a cautionary tale about free speech to Washington._ by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) ## Callum Sutherland Reporter Sep 3, 2025 6:59 PM UTC British lawmaker and leader of the Reform UK party Nigel Farage testified in front of Congress during a hearing on how the online policies of the U.K. and the European Union pose a threat to “American speech and innovation.” Claiming that the U.K. has “sunk into” an “awful authoritarian situation,” Farage used examples from his homeland to deliver a cautionary tale about free speech to Washington. by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) ## Callum Sutherland Reporter Sep 3, 2025 6:59 PM UTC British lawmaker and leader of the Reform UK party [Nigel Farage](https://time.com/7281644/trump-influence-local-elections-england-nigel-farage-maga-rallies-slogans/) testified in front of Congress during a hearing on how the online policies of the U.K. and the European Union pose a threat to “American speech and innovation.” Claiming that the U.K. has “sunk into” an “awful authoritarian situation,” Farage used examples from his homeland to deliver a cautionary tale about free speech to Washington. “We've kind of forgotten the Voltairean principles, that we’ll fight and defend to the death your right to say something that we fundamentally disagree with,” Farage told the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, emphasizing this as the “absolute foundation” of free speech. Democratic Rep.[ Jamie Raskin of Maryland](https://time.com/6293063/rep-jamie-raskin-says-he-wont-run-for-senate/) criticized Farage in his own opening remarks. “He should go and advance the positions he's taking here in Congress today, in Parliament, which is \[also\] meeting today if he's serious about it,” said Raskin. “To the people of the U.K. who think this Putin-loving, free speech impostor and Trump sycophant will protect freedom in your country, come on over to America and see what Trump and MAGA are doing to destroy our freedom… you might think twice before you let Mr. Farage ‘Make Britain Great Again,’” said Raskin, seemingly referencing a 2014 [interview](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/31/farage-i-admire-putin) during which Farage named Putin when asked which world leader he admired the most. “He complains that racist threats against immigrants are not protected free speech, while he proposes to strip migrants, tourists, and perhaps even visiting American Congress people, of any free speech rights at all,” Raskin continued. **Read More**: [_How Trump’s Influence Was Felt at the Local Elections in England_](https://time.com/7281644/trump-influence-local-elections-england-nigel-farage-maga-rallies-slogans/) During his testimony, Farage paid particular attention to the case of Irish comedian and show writer Graham Linehan, who was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport on Monday under the Public Order Act, on suspicion of inciting violence via social media posts. “He's an Irish citizen. This could happen to any American man or woman that goes to Heathrow that has said things online that the British government and British police don't like,” argued Farage, adding that this could be a “potentially big threat to big tech bosses” and others. “At what point did we become North Korea? Well, I think the Irish comedy writer found that out two days ago at Heathrow Airport,” the Reform UK Party leader concluded. Linehan, who is perhaps best known for creating sitcoms _Father Ted_ and _The IT Crowd_, was arrested over three posts shared on X during which he discussed transgender matters. [In an article published](https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/i-was-arrested-for-insulting-the-trans-mob/) the day after his arrest, Linehan said the state “had mobilised five armed officers to arrest a comedy writer.” Linehan’s arrest has become a global talking point in what is a charged moment regarding free speech and how that relates to the online space. When asked about the arrest during questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said police “must focus on the most serious issues” such as “tackling issues like anti-social behaviour, knife crime, and violence.” “We have a long history of free speech in this country. I'm very proud of that and I will always defend it,” he maintained. Some U.S. lawmakers have also taken a stand against the arrest of Linehan. Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California [called](https://x.com/RoKhanna/status/1962965787234206086) it an “offense to anyone who supports free speech.” “I guess \[the\] U.K. has not learned from the time prosecutors read passages of _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ to convict Oscar Wilde,” argued Rep. Khanna. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley defended the arrest of Linehan, but recognised “the concern caused by such incidents given differing perspectives on the balance between free speech and the risks of inciting violence in the real world,” in a statement shared with TIME on Wednesday. Rowley said he has provided suggestions to the Home Office on how to better clarify the law that would enable police to “limit the resources we dedicate to tackling online statements to those cases creating real threats in the real world.” In his address to Congress, Farage also referenced the case of Lucy Connolly, who in October 2024 was sentenced to 31 months in prison for inciting racial hatred by publishing and distributing "threatening or abusive" written material via social media. The posts were sent after an incident that saw three girls stabbed to death during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport in the North of England in July 2024\. (Connolly, who is married to a Conservative councillor, was released from prison in August.) “We of course had Lucy Connolly, who put out an intemperate tweet after the savage murder of those three beautiful young girls,” said Farage, referencing the high-profile case. Farage went on to say he had “wanted to bring” Lucy with him to show Congress “living proof of what can go wrong” when free speech is under threat. Connelly's social media posts called for "mass deportation now" and urged people to "set fire" to hotels housing asylum seekers. In the days following the stabbing incident, [riots erupted](https://time.com/7007925/misinformation-violence-riots-britain/) across the United Kingdom and ethnic minorities were targeted after misinformation spread online that the attacker was a migrant who came to the U.K. illegally. Farage criticized the U.K.’s [Online Safety Act](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-act-explainer/online-safety-act-explainer), a set of laws designed to protect children and adults online, referring to it on Wednesday as “a road to hell paved with good intentions.” Although he acknowledged the importance of protecting children from seeing inappropriate content online, he argued the Act has given independent regulator Ofcom “the most extraordinary and arbitrary powers” and said his party would repeal it, if elected to government. Farage also used his time in front of Congress to criticize new legislation that he says is soon to be passed by the current U.K. Labour government, which would provide a legal definition of Islamophobia. Farage argued it would “effectively mean the criticism of a religion would become an offense.” In February, the U.K. government [launched](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-working-group-on-anti-muslim-hatredislamophobia-definition) a “working group” to provide a definition of anti-Muslim hate and Islamophobia. “The rise in anti-Muslim hate crime is unacceptable and has no place in our society. That’s why we’ve committed to defining Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, as a crucial step forward in tackling it and creating a society where everyone feels safe and welcome,” said Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. **Read More**: [_Trump Set to Ratchet Up His Immigration Crackdown_](https://time.com/7281034/trump-immigration-crackdown-executive-orders/) Immigration-related matters are an integral aspect of Farage’s proposed policies, with “smart immigration, not mass immigration” listed as a “core pledge” in [Reform UK’s manifesto](https://assets.nationbuilder.com/reformuk/pages/253/attachments/original/1718625371/Reform%5FUK%5FOur%5FContract%5Fwith%5FYou.pdf?1718625371) during the U.K. General Election in 2024. Speaking at a news conference on Aug. 26, Farage suggested Reform UK would be prepared to deport 600,000 migrants over five years, should they be voted into power.  U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as U.K. politician Nigel Farage speaks during a Trump campaign rally at Phoenix Goodyear Airport on Oct. 28, 2020, in Goodyear, Arizona. Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images Farage left the Congress hearing early on Wednesday while questions were still being heard, prompting Democrat Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida to suggest that he was leaving to have lunch with long-term ally President Donald Trump. Farage declined to confirm his afternoon plans. The pair have a long-standing relationship. Farage met with the President after his election in 2016, described him as [“the most resilient and brave person”](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/29/nigel-farage-heaps-praise-on-donald-trump-at-arizona-rally) he had ever met at a 2020 election rally, and [called](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czrlkzd5p2lo) Trump an “inspiration” during a Reform UK rally in February. [Trump’s influence was heavily felt](https://time.com/7281644/trump-influence-local-elections-england-nigel-farage-maga-rallies-slogans/) during local elections across parts of England earlier this year, largely due to the MAGA-inspired rallies hosted by Farage, which featured bright lights, energized crowds, and a strong anti-immigration rhetoric. According to a recent U.K. opinion poll conducted by YouGov between Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, [22% of respondents](https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/VotingIntention%5FMRP%5FResults%5F250901%5Fw.pdf) would vote for Reform if an election were to be held the next day, making it the most popular party in the poll. ## Transcript Do you swear or affirm, under penalty of perjury, that the testimony you're about to give is true and correct to the best of your knowledge, information, and belief so help you God? He should go and advance the positions he's taking here in Congress today in Parliament, which is meeting today. If he's serious about it, to the people of UK who think this Putin loving, free speech impostor and Trump sycophant will protect freedom in your country. Come on over to America and see what Trump and MAGA are doing to destroy our freedom. Kidnap college students off the street, ban books from our libraries, militarize our police and unleash them against our communities, take over our universities, wreck our professional civil service, and turn the government into a money making machine for Trump and his family. You might think twice before you let Mr. Farage make Britain great again. He complains that racist threats against immigrants are not protected free speech while he proposes to strip migrants, tourists and perhaps even visiting American Congress people of any free speech rights at all. You can say what you like, I don't care. Because that's what free speech is. And in a sense, this has all been going wrong now for a couple of decades. We've kind of forgotten the principles that will fight and defend to the death your right to say something that we fundamentally disagree with. That is the absolute foundation, if you think about it, of free speech, of democracy, of living in freedom. We have a couple of very famous cases. We, of course, have Lucy Connolly, who put out an intemperate tweet after the savage murder of those three beautiful young girls. She herself a mother who had lost a child. It was intemperate. It was wrong. But she removed it 3.5 hours later, sentenced to 31 months in prison, she's now out, having served 40% of the time. I wanted to bring her with me today as living proof of what can go wrong. Sadly, the restrictions that have been put on her banned her from making the trip, which is a very, very great shame. And we, of course, have the extraordinary events that we understood yesterday of Graham Lennon, the comedy writer comedic writer. And he put out some tweets months ago when he was in Arizona. And months later, he arrives at Heathrow Airport to be met by five armed police. Armed police. Not a big deal in the USA, a very big deal in the United Kingdom. Five of them. And he was arrested and taken away for questioning. He's not even a British citizen. He's an Irish citizen. This could happen to any American man or woman that goes to Heathrow, that has said things online that the British government and British police don't like. It is a potentially big threat to tech bosses, to many, many others. At what point did we become North Korea? Well, I think the Irish comedy writer found that out two days ago at Heathrow Airport. 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