Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has hit back at Nigel Farage, accusing the Reform UK leader of “scaremongering” over the state of Britain, as Labour faces increasing pressure from the fast-rising party.
As Parliament reconvenes after the summer recess, Starmer sought to regain control of the political narrative, responding to a series of bold policy announcements from Farage that have kept Reform UK in the spotlight over the past six weeks. Despite Labour being in government, recent polls show Reform holding a 10-point lead over Starmer’s party, prompting criticism that his administration has not done enough to counter their momentum.
In a piece published by the media, Starmer dismissed Reform and the Conservatives for consistently talking down the country, saying his focus remains on delivering tangible improvements for ordinary people.
“While Reform and the Tories talk down the country at every turn, we’re doing the work to make people’s lives better. I’m not interested in scaremongering from the sidelines. I’m rolling up my sleeves to deliver change that makes a difference to you and your family,” he wrote.
The Prime Minister strongly rejected Farage’s assertion that Britain is broken, despite widespread concern over rising inflation, a record 7.37 million backlog in the NHS, and unprecedented levels of illegal migration.
Blaming the former Conservative government for the country’s challenges, Starmer said, “The last government refused to back Britain by funding the homes, transport, energy, and other vital infrastructure we need for a modern economy. They failed to invest in the skills and training needed for the jobs of the future. That has left working people paying the price. Through our Plan for Change, this Labour Government is doing things differently by putting more money in your pocket.”
Meanwhile Starmer’s remarks come just four weeks ahead of Labour’s annual party conference in Liverpool, where he is expected to reset his leadership message.
However, within Labour, there are divisions over how to respond to Farage’s growing influence. Some MPs particularly from traditional Northern and Midlands constituencies want the Prime Minister to take a harder line on illegal immigration and crime, areas where Reform has made significant political inroads.
Others, largely from Labour’s Left, caution against adopting policies that mirror Farage’s, arguing that a more progressive, tax-and-invest approach is the only effective way to defeat Reform’s narrative.
Reform UK will hold its party conference in Birmingham this coming weekend, following a summer filled with high-profile policy proposals from Farage.
Among them, he has pledged to deport up to 600,000 illegal migrants within his first term, initially promising five deportation flights per day. After facing criticism, Farage later clarified that women and children would be excluded from the plan a move which drew fire from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who accused him of backtracking.
Farage has also committed to withdrawing the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and accused Starmer of putting foreign courts above the British people.
However, Farage is expected to travel to Washington, D.C this week where he will testify before members of the U.S. Congress on what he describes as growing threats to freedom of expression in Britain. He plans to highlight the case of Lucy Connolly, who was recently released from prison after serving part of a 31-month sentence for a social media post made following the Southport attacks.
