Reform branded ‘Trump’s cheerleaders’ amid warning Middle East conflict will impact Wales

Emily Price

Reform UK has been slammed as “cheerleaders for prolonging Trump’s aggression in the Gulf” amid concerns the conflict will directly impact on people across Wales.

In the House of Commons during Wales Questions on Wednesday (March 4) Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts noted that the price of energy has spiked since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East, with gas up by close to 100%.

Saville Roberts warned that if the war continues for even a few weeks, these costs will directly hit the pockets of people and businesses in Wales.

Yesterday, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her spring statement where she reiterated that the UK Government is reducing household energy bills by £150 a year.

Saville Roberts pointed out that the economic forecasts of the spring statement were made before the outbreak of the war.

It has since been estimated that the sharp rise in oil and gas could add over £500 to the typical annual household energy bill from July.

The Plaid Cymru MP said that Reform’s continued support of Trump’s actions will hit Welsh households, adding that Wales simply “can’t afford the cost of Reform”.

US President Donald Trump launched a personal attack against Prime Minister Keir Starmer this week over the refusal to allow initial US strikes on Iran from British bases.

Trump mocked the Prime Minister publicly comparing him unfavourably with wartime leader Winston Churchill.

At a press conference, Reform’s leader Nigel Farage described Trump’s jibe as “quite an understatement”.

Speaking about Starmer, Farage said: “I mean the man has dithered, he’s all over the place, he’s not a leader he’s a follower. His performance has been abject over the course of the last few days.

“Added to which we haven’t even got a Royal Navy that is serviceable anymore – so I’m not surprised he said what he said.

“Frankly, if this operation stops Iran getting a nuclear weapon, it would have been worth it – and I believe that very very strongly.”

Speaking in the chamber, Saville Roberts said: “The spring forecast’s revising down of economic growth was made before the outbreak of war in Iran.

“But now the price of energy has spiked, with gas up by close to 100%.

“If the war continues for even a few weeks, these costs will directly hit the pockets of people and businesses in Wales.

“Is the Secretary of State not astounded that Reform are cheerleaders for prolonging Trump’s aggression in the Gulf, and agree with me that Wales can’t afford the cost of Reform?”

In her response, the Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said: “Wales certainly can’t afford the cost of Reform and I would say, they can’t afford the cost of Plaid Cymru either.”

Saville Roberts responded: “I would have expected something a little more thought through from the Secretary of State for Wales.”