Keir Starmer's attempt to brand Nigel Farage as unpatriotic has backfired, with the Reform leader accusing the Prime Minister of inciting the radical left. In a fiery response, Farage warned that Starmer's language 'directly threatens the safety' of his campaigners, drawing parallels to the recent murder of Charlie Kirk in the United States.
Speaking at the Labour conference in Liverpool, Starmer described the UK as standing 'at a fork in the road' between 'decency or division'. He labelled Farage an 'enemy of national renewal' and questioned whether he 'wants the country to fail'. The PM also dismissed the idea that Britain is 'broken', asking: 'When was the last time you heard Nigel Farage say anything positive about Britain? He can't. He doesn't like Britain.'
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy escalated tensions further by referencing Farage's past comments about the Hitler Youth, saying the public could judge for themselves. A Reform source said they had 'no words' for Lammy's intervention. Meanwhile, Starmer's speech also touched on immigration, welfare spending, and the need for 'uncomfortable' policies, hinting at potential tax hikes in the upcoming Budget.
The attack on Farage has alarmed some Labour figures, who fear it could backfire after Starmer previously branded Reform's immigration policy 'racist'. Despite a standing ovation in Liverpool, the PM's strategy risks alienating voters and energising the right-wing party he seeks to marginalise.
