Nigel Farage states that "the most stable relationships" are between men and women

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has sparked controversy following comments made during a press conference, where he stated that "the most stable relationships tend to be between men and women." The remarks came in response to questions about newly-defected Reform UK MP Danny Kruger's past statements on marriage.

Mr. Kruger, formerly a Conservative MP, had previously asserted that marriage between a man and a woman was "the only basis for a safe and successful society." When asked if he shared this view, Mr. Farage emphasized the importance of children having two stable parents, adding that the most enduring relationships "tend to be between men and women."

Many were quick to condemn Mr. Farage's statement. Labour MP Nadia Whittome described the comments as "vile homophobia," accusing the Reform UK leader of attempting to "reopen settled debates on gay marriage and adoption" to incite division.

According to The Independent, Stonewall released a statement emphasizing the diversity of modern families. "Families are diverse and come in all shapes and sizes," the statement read. "The most important thing is for children to be brought up in a stable, supportive, loving environment that will enable them to develop and thrive."

Figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that there were 103,816 divorces in England and Wales in 2023, including 1,891 divorces of same-sex couples.

Mr. Farage's comments follow recent criticism of his stance on abortion laws, which he has called "totally out of date."

The controversy arose during a press conference welcoming Danny Kruger, the first sitting Tory MP to defect to Reform UK. Mr. Kruger will now lead the party's preparations for government, bringing the number of Reform MPs to five. He cited "crisis in the economy, crisis at the border, crisis in our streets and a crisis in our military" as reasons for his defection, adding that Britain "is not broken, but it is badly damaged" and that "something has got to give."