Sir Keir admitted Labour became a “party that patronised working people” over immigration.
Keir Starmer launched another attack on Nigel Farage (Image: Getty)
Keir Starmer branded Nigel Farage the “enemy of national renewal” in their escalating war of words on immigration.
The Prime Minister declared Labour supporters must “fight you with everything we have” as he criticised the Reform leader’s plans to rescind migrants’ settlement rights.
And Sir Keir admitted Labour became a “party that patronised working people” over immigration.
Launching a huge attack on Mr Farage and those supporting mass deportation programmes, he said: “If you say or imply that people cannot be English or British because of the colour of their skin, that mixed heritage families owe you an explanation, the people who have lived here for generations, with their children here, working in our hospitals, our schools, running businesses, if you say they should now be deported, then mark my words, we will fight you with everything we have because you are the enemy of national renewal.”
Sir Keir and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood vowed to crack down on record numbers of arrivals and end the Channel migrant crisis.
The Prime Minister said: “We had become a party that patronized working people.
“There are still some people who can’t listen in good faith on this issue, who say we can ignore the crisis in our asylum system, so long as we get the economy moving.
“I have to say to those people very directly, we will tackle this issue.
“The British people are not unreasonable. They’re pragmatic, compassionate, tolerant.
“That’s who we are. What people wanted before, that hasn’t changed.
“Secure borders are also vital for a decent, compassionate country.
“Controlling who comes here is an essential task of government, and there’s nothing compassionate or progressive in a vile trade that loads people into overcrowded boats, puts them in grave danger in the Channel, and ultimately exploits human desperation and hope.
“We will stop this. We will smash the gangs. We will crack down on illegal working, we will remove people with no right to be here, and we will secure Britain’s borders.
“But there is a line. A moral line. And it isn’t just Farage who crosses it.
“Controlling migration is a reasonable goal. But if you throw bricks and smash up private property, that’s not legitimate, that is thuggery.
Keir Starmer launched an attack on Nigel Farage and Reform (Image: Getty)
“Free speech is a British value and we have guarded it for centuries. But if you incite racist violence and hatred, that is not expressing concern. That is criminal.”
A furious Mr Farage hit back within minutes, accusing the PM of inciting violence against Reform politicians and supporters.
“Let us be clear, Reform want illegal migrants deported from our country… Reform want the benefit system to be for British citizens only, not for foreign born nationals. Reform want foreign criminals removed from our country ASAP.
“Labour say this policy is racist and immoral, and by implication that Reform supporters, voters and sympathisers are racist too.
Mr Farage says he doesn’t personally worry about personal abuse, but too accuse millions of being racist “is a very low blow.”
“This language will incite the radical left… it directly threatens the safety of our elected officials and campaigners.”
He cites the recent murder of Charlie Kirk, adding: “I think this is an absolute disgrace.”
The Reform UK leader says that he used to think that while he disagreed with the Prime Minister, he was a decent human being. But now says he’s “shocked” by his behaviour and feels “ashamed by what he’s done”.
Mr Farage says the ‘racism’ attack was a “desperate last throw of the dice from a Prime Minister who’s in deep trouble, a Prime Minister who can’t even command the support from half of his party”.
The Reform leader last week said “mass, unskilled migration” during the Boris Johnson era has suppressed earnings for millions of people.
Mr Farage promised to abolish indefinite leave to remain and ban foreign nationals from claiming any form of welfare.
And those with settlement rights would have them rescinded, under Mr Farage’s plan if he wins the next election.
They want people to apply for visas every five years.
Estimates have suggested this could cost taxpayers around £200bn.
He said the “politics of grievance” – a term he has used repeatedly to attack Mr Farage – was “the biggest threat we face because it attacks who we are”.
Calling for the public to “unite around a common good”, Sir Keir said they were engaged in a “fight for the soul of our country”.
Urging people to fly their flags, he said he would “fight with every breath I have” for the “tolerant, decent, respectful Britain I know”.
Reform’s policy chief Zia Yusuf admitted the party was not scrapping European settled status, which grants the same rights as ILR for EU citizens.
Some 4.12 million EU citizens have successfully applied for settled status in the UK.
Any legislation barring EU migrants from claiming benefits could breach the Brexit withdrawal agreement, which provided for reciprocal welfare payments for EU and British nationals living abroad.
This could create a potential showdown with the EU.
