Reform UK leader says PM is attacking him because he is on course to win the keys to No 10
Nigel Farage hit back at Sir Keir Starmer after he kicked off Labour’s conference by attacking Reform UK. The Prime Minister claimed that the insurgent party’s plan to scrap indefinite leave to remain for migrants was “racist” and that Reform would “tear that country apart”.
But Reform leader Mr Farage said Sir Keir was taking aim at him because a new poll found that he is on course to win the keys to 10 Downing Street. He shared a graph on X with the results of a More in Common survey which suggested the Brexiteer could enter No 10 with a majority of 96.
Mr Farage said: “Keir Starmer has spent his entire weekend attacking Reform. This is the reason why.”
In an interview on the BBC‘s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Sir Keir said Reform policy which would require those who have been granted indefinite leave to remain to re-apply under much stricter rules is “racist”.
The Prime Minister said: “Well, I do think that it is a racist policy. I do think it is immoral. It needs to be called out for what it is.”
He went on: “I was arguing against Reform because Reform do not believe in that country, they want to tear that country apart.
“What was said last week about deporting migrants who are lawfully here, who’ve been here for years, working in our hospitals and our schools, running businesses, our neighbours, and Reform says they want to deport them – that would tear our country apart.
“We are, at the moment, a leading member of the Coalition of the Willing, corralling and bringing together European countries to fight the aggression of Putin.
“Imagine if Reform came in and they were cosying up to Putin – the impact that would have on our security and defence.”
It comes after a poll of nearly 20,000 people and modelling by More In Common put Reform in the lead with 373 seats.
Labour would be second with just 90 and the Tories would be pushed into fourth place at Westminster behind the Liberal Democrats.
