Nigel Farage welcomed two Labour politicians as the latest defectors to Reform UK in the latest coup for his party. They are Sir Robin Wales, the former Labour mayor of Newham and ex-leader of London’s Newham council, along with former Labour Newham councillor and cabinet member Clive Furness.

They announced their defections at a central London press conference on Wednesday. Laila Cunningham, Reform’s candidate for London mayor, called them “two heavyweight former Labour leaders with decades of experience of delivering real results for working people in London”. Sir Robin has been appointed as the party’s London director of local government, while Mr Furness will serve as his senior adviser and stand as Reform UK’s candidate for mayor of Newham.

With over a century of combined Labour Party membership, Sir Robin and Mr Furness left the party because of its “outright disdain for working people”.

In his new role, Sir Robin will advise Reform UK-controlled councils following the May 7 elections – if the party manages to take control of local authorities in the capital.

Sir Robin said: “After decades fighting for working people in Newham, I’ve seen Labour abandon its roots.

“Under Sadiq Khan and the Labour leadership across London, the capital has seen soaring crime, failing services, and a party that prioritises the wealthy elite over the working class it was built to represent.”

Ms Cunningham said: “Unlike Labour, we are building a team full of expertise and experience who are laser-focused on making London work for Londoners once again.

“May is the first step to dislodging Labour and Sadiq Khan from our capital, and only Reform stands a chance of delivering that credible alternative.”

Mr Farage told the event that the UK should give full backing to the US assault on Iran and insisted it was not the same as the US-UK invasion of Iraq in 2003, which led to the removal of Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

Mr Farage said: “There are times to say no to the Americans, absolutely. We should have said no a couple of times in the last 25 years.

“Of course, because Saddam Hussein didn’t pose any direct threat to this country, they had to invent a threat.

“I would argue in the case of Iran, since October 7, this country has fundamentally changed as a result of terrorism funded by Iran.

“Frankly, if this operation stops Iran getting a nuclear weapon, it would have been worth it. I believe that very, very strongly.

“I’m really incredibly nervous about intervening in foreign wars, I believe it’s the right one.”