Keir Starmer has been accused of “desperate panic” as it emerged he plans a smear campaign against Nigel Farage following Reform’s stunning victories in last week’s local elections. Labour plans to accuse Mr Farage of “fawning” over Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, as Sir Keir attempts to win back Reform voters.

But a Reform source said: “Once again we see Labour panic and smear us with desperate lies and misinformation. Make no mistake about it, the British people see through this and have already told Labour their verdict on Thursday.” Mr Farage has been a firm ally and supporter of US President Donald Trump, who in turn has been accused of siding with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin over Russia’s attempted invasion of Ukraine. However, Mr Farage has broken ranks with the US President over the issue of Ukraine and spoken out against a US plan that would allow Russia to keep territory seized during the war.

The Reform leader said last month: “I don’t think this plan really is acceptable because it just rewards Putin too much. I want to see peace, but not at any price.”

Labour plans to use a series of international summits to present the Prime Minister as a global statesman and contrast his approach with Mr Farage’s, according to reports. Part of the plan is to paint Mr Farage as a supporter of Vladimir Putin, based on comments he made more than a decade ago when he complimented the Russian leader.

A Labour source told the Telegraph: ”Reform has a couple of weaknesses and the Putin fawning is one of them. We know there is strong public support for backing Ukraine against the Russians.”

Sir Keir is set to meet Nato leaders in Norway on Thursday and European leaders next week before attending the annual Nato summit in the Netherlands at the end of June.

Labour and the Conservatives are under pressure to reverse their parties’ fortunes after Reform picked up 10 councils and more than 600 seats in Thursday’s polls.

Mr Farage, whose party also gained an MP in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, hailed the results as the end of two-party politics.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said over the weekend that Reform UK is “definitely a real threat and one that we take seriously”.

He told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme: “I think there’s clearly, on the right of British politics, a realignment taking place.

“It’s not yet clear whether at the next general election it will be Reform or the Conservatives that are Labour’s main challengers, but we’ve got to take that threat seriously.

“In that spirit, I think Reform does deserve more air time and scrutiny of their policies.”

He said he treats Mr Farage’s party as a “serious opposition force”.

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He added: “I don’t know whether it will be Reform or the Conservatives that emerge as the main threat.

“I don’t have a horse in that race, but like Alien Vs Predator, you don’t really want either one to win, but one of them will emerge as the main challenger to Labour at the next general election.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Mr Farage has tapped into the frustration of voters.

“He is expressing the feeling of frustration that a lot of people around the country are feeling, but he also doesn’t have a record in government like the two main parties do,” the Tory leader told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme.

“Now he is going to be running some councils – we’ll see how that goes.”