Thursday, March 19, 2026
Home / Politics / Nigel Farage criticised for calling Welsh people '...
Politics

Nigel Farage criticised for calling Welsh people 'foreign speakers'

CN
CitrixNews Staff
·
Nigel Farage criticised for calling Welsh people 'foreign speakers'
Nigel Farage criticised for calling Welsh people 'foreign speakers'34 minutes agoShareSaveGareth Lewis,Wales political editorandAdrian Browne,Wales political reporterShareSavePA Reform Party leader Nigel Farage speaking during a Reform UK news conference. He is smiling and wearing a dark blue suit jacket, light blue shirt and red tie.PAReform leader Nigel Farage is reported to have recorded a video message which included the comment in the summer of 2025

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has been criticised by rival parties for describing Welsh people as "foreign speakers" in a paid-for video message.

Farage made the comment in a recorded greeting where he said he was "gutted" to be unable to attend a wedding because half of the number of guests were Welsh.

Welsh Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats all criticised Farage's video, which was supplied via the Cameo video platform through which celebrities record messages for a fee.

A spokesperson for Farage said the videos "should not be treated as political statements or campaign activity".

The video was found by the Guardian, with seven weeks to go before Wales' Senedd election in which Reform is vying to lead the next Welsh government.

What does the Senedd do?

Cost of uni would have put me off, says Welsh government minister

Law to make it illegal to lie in Welsh elections passed

Users of Cameo write a short prompt for their chosen celebrity, and pay a fee for a clip that usually lasts less than a minute.

In the clip, the Reform leader said: "Gutted I couldn't attend the wedding. I wanted to come, but I heard that half the guests were Welsh and, I don't know. Who knows what would have happened with all those foreign speakers there. I don't know."

According to the Guardian the Cameo user had asked Farage to record a wedding message for "Toby and Sam" in July 2025, and to follow a script which would include him saying the number of Welsh guests were "far too many foreigners for me".

Rival political parties criticised the video when it emerged on Thursday.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: "Here we have it clear as day - Farage's disdain for the people of Wales and the Welsh language."

In a post on X, Plaid Cymru said Reform "was not fit to be anywhere near power in Wales".

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds described Farage's comment as "disgraceful", saying it showed a "sneering ignorance".

James Evans, a Reform Member of the Senedd (MS), told BBC Wales that while it was for Farage to answer for his own words, the Welsh language was "very important" to the party.

He added: "But Wales, let me be very clear, is a bilingual nation. We speak English and Welsh, and whatever language you speak, you should feel welcome in our country."

Farage has created a number of videos through the Cameo app, and payments to him from it were among the financial interests he inadvertently failed to register within a 28-day time limit which led to him breaching MPs' rules in January.

A spokesperson for Farage said: "A Cameo is a short personalised message requested by members of the public and should not be treated as political statements or campaign activity."

Recent polling suggests that Plaid Cymru and Reform are vying for top spot in May's Senedd election as Labour fights to hold on to power in Cardiff Bay.

A purple banner displaying the words "More on election 2026" beside a colourful pyramid shape in green, pink and blue.More Top Stories

Beeps, shouts and abuse - police join female runners to tackle harassment

'I kept falling over on Ibiza lads holiday - it turned out to be MS'

Rat infestation at Royal Mail depot means parcels need to be deep cleaned

WalesWelsh Parliament election 2026Nigel FarageReform UK

Originally reported by BBC News