Local MP slams Nigel Farage for 'inflaming' Leeds riots 'with misinformation' as Reform leader says 'politics of the subcontinent are playing out' in the Yorkshire disorder

Nigel Farage has been accused of 'inflaming' the riot in Leeds by a local MP - as he flirted with American conservatives thousands of miles away.

The Reform UK leader shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, as people torched a bus and set bonfires in the streets of Harehills in the east of the northern city following an earlier disturbance.

Mr Farage claimed the 'politics of the subcontinent are currently playing out on the streets of Leeds', without clarifying what this meant. He added: 'Don't say I didn't warn you'.

But local MP Alex Sobel fired back at the newly elected member for Clacton, who is currently in America, appearing to suggest that he was 'exacerbating' the situation without being in full possession of the facts.

He has also called on Mr Farage to apologise. But Mr Farage last night dodged questions on whether he was actually invited to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee - 3,700 miles away - as a guest of Donald Trump.

West Yorkshire Police, the force responsible for Leeds, has also hit out at what it branded 'incorrect information on social media' around the incident - pleading with locals not to speculate on the causes of the disorder.

Quoting Farage's tweet on X, Labour and Co-operative MP Mr Sobel said: 'This is a situation you know nothing about and no one has briefed you on. You are inflaming a situation with misinformation.

'Politicians have a responsibility to not exacerbate situations particularly with no knowledge of them. I expect you to issue an apology.'

The Reform MP fired back minutes later: 'When will you and the Labour Party apologise for irresponsible mass migration?'

Mr Sobel has been an elected MP for areas of Leeds since 2017, and was most recently elected to the newly created Leeds Central and Headingley constituency earlier this month.

Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire, appeared to make an swipe at Mr Farage and those who were sharing unproven information about the Harehills riot on social media.

'I’m reassured no one has been seriously injured but suggest those who are using this to inflame community tensions to think again,' she wrote.

The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said she was being briefed on the situation, writing on X: 'I am appalled at the shocking scenes and attacks on police vehicles & public transport in Leeds tonight. Disorder of this nature has no place in our society.'

Mr Farage was elected as an MP on his eighth attempt earlier this month - and has celebrated becoming a local representative for the people of Clacton by jetting off to the United States.

The former MEP, who has resumed presenting duties on GB News after being elected, attended the King's Speech on Tuesday before flying to America to support Donald Trump, whom he described as a 'friend'.

But Mr Farage ducked questions from Channel 4 yesterday on whether he had actually been invited to the Republican National Convention - or if he had simply turned up.

Asked if he had actually met with Mr Trump, the MP said: 'No, I haven't.' Asked if he was going to, and when he would meet with the former President, he replied shortly: 'Yes...I don't know yet.'

And pressed on whether he had been invited, and whether he should be in his constituency, Mr Farage replied: 'What's that got to do with you? What on earth has that got to do with you?'

Cryptically, he added: 'There's an eight-day week, and as long as I work seven of them, we're okay.'

Farage was also pressed by former BBC journalist Emily Maitlis on why he was in the US, rather than engaging with his new constituents.

He told The News Agents USA: 'There were people around him (Trump) who thought it was the right thing that I came. I'm allowed to come to America on a trip like this.'

In Leeds, residents have been told to stay at home as scores of rioters linger on the streets of Harehills following disruption in the area a mile east of central Leeds.

Police have battled what they described as 'pockets of disruption' across the area - after thugs torched a double decker bus and started bonfires in the middle of the road.

Footage has been shared across social media of rioters smashing up a police car, which was later overturned, and setting fire to a bus. First Bus, which operates public transport in Leeds, said nobody on board was hurt.

West Yorkshire Police said it had deployed a large number of riot officers to the area in what it termed 'an ongoing incident' shortly before 1am on Friday. It had earlier said the disturbance involved 'agency workers and children'.

Police chiefs have vowed to take action against all those responsible for disruption - and renewed its plea for those gathering in the area to disperse.'

The force said in its early morning statement: 'All criminal offences, including damage to vehicles from fire, will be fully investigated by detectives from Leeds CID and the force’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.

'We want to make it very clear that the full weight of the law will be brought against those responsible.

'Police can also confirm that no-one has so far been reported to have been hurt in the disorder and police are treating the matter as a serious public order incident.

'Residents who have perhaps gathered to observe the incidents are asked to keep away from the disorder while officers manage the incident.

'We would strongly discourage residents from speculating on the cause of this disorder which we believe has been instigated by a criminal minority intent on disrupting community relations. 

'Officers are aware of incorrect information circulating on social media suggesting persons potentially responsible.'

The force added that it intends to set up a specialist website for members of the public to share information about the riots. 

Statistics published by the House of Commons Library in May this year suggest net migration was an average of 208,000 per year between 2001 and 2011, at the peak of the Blair and Brown Labour governments.

Annual net migration rose to an average of 250,000 per year between 2011 and 2021, during the Cameron, May and Johnson governments.

MailOnline has contacted Mr Farage and Mr Sobel for further comment.