Nigel Farage makes fresh energy demand to Keir Starmer in fiery PMQs exchange: 'Time we changed course!'

Nigel Farage has urged Sir Keir Starmer to "change course" in a fresh energy demand during a tense exchange in Wednesday's PMQs.

Putting his question to the Prime Minister, the Reform UK leader asked Sir Keir whether it was time the UK "followed Norway" and open up the North Sea for gas and oil extraction.

Mr Farage told the Prime Minister: "Over the course of the last year, our North Sea neighbours Norway have opened 49 drill sites for gas and oil. On our side of the North Sea, the number is zero.

"Given that our critical reserve of natural gas is down to two days, and how vulnerable we are and with talk potentially of energy rationing coming later this year, isn't it time we changed course?"

He told MPs: "Isn't it time we got rid of excessive taxation on the exploration companies, opened up the licences, became self-sufficient in natural gas and with that would come thousands of jobs, increased tax revenues and cheaper gas prices.

"Isn't it time we followed Norway?"

Taking aim at the Reform UK leader, Sir Keir responded: "Mr Speaker, oil and gas will be part of the mix of our energy for many, many years to come.

"As I've said many, many times, but he's now highlighting the consequences of the war that he said we should rush into."

Accusing Mr Farage of "wanting us to go to war", Sir Keir swiped at the Reform UK leader's stance on the conflict in the Middle East.

Sir Keir told the House of Commons: "He wanted us to go to war. He said he was perfectly, perfectly clear that we should support the strikes."

Mr Farage was left shaking his head in disbelief as Sir Keir threw the accusations his way.

Comparing his stance to that of Tory leader Kemi Badenoch's, Sir Keir jibed: "Then, just like the leader of the opposition, a week later, he said, oh no, I got that one wrong.

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"You can't make mistakes about decisions as serious as committing to war. It is a gross error."

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