Prime Minister Keir Starmer launched his most scathing attack yet on Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, branding him a “snake oil merchant” who “doesn’t like Britain” during his keynote speech at Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool today.
The embattled Prime Minister, whose approval ratings have plummeted to historic lows just over a year into office, used his address to mount a fierce counter-offensive against the populist threat from Reform UK, which currently leads Labour in opinion polls by approximately ten points.
In a direct personal attack on the Reform UK leader, Sir Keir declared: “We can all see these snake oil merchants, on the right, on the left, but be in no doubt, conference, none of them have any interest in national renewal, because decline is good for their business.” He added: “When was the last time you heard Nigel Farage say anything positive about Britain’s future? He can’t. He doesn’t like Britain, doesn’t believe in Britain, wants you to doubt it as much as he does.”
‘Fork in the Road’ Warning
Sir Keir warned delegates that Britain stands at a “fork in the road” and faces a “defining choice” between “decency” and “division”, describing the battle with Reform UK as a “fight for the soul of our country” comparable to rebuilding Britain from the rubble after the Second World War.
The Prime Minister accused Mr Farage of resorting to “grievance” politics, claiming Reform wanted to “turn this country, this proud, self-reliant country, into a competition of victims.
The speech comes at a critical juncture for Sir Keir’s leadership. According to polling firm Ipsos, only 13 per cent of voters are satisfied with his government, while 79 per cent are dissatisfied – the worst score of any prime minister since the firm started collecting data in 1977.
Immigration Row Escalates
The conference attack follows Sir Keir’s weekend comments branding Reform’s immigration policy “racist” and “immoral. Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme, the Prime Minister said Reform’s plan to scrap indefinite leave to remain status “needs to be called out for what it is.”
Reform UK has proposed scrapping the immigration status of “Indefinite Leave to Remain”, which many of the post-Brexit wave of migrants will soon be eligible to apply for. The status allows migrants to live, work, and study in the UK permanently after residing in the country for five years.
Sir Keir argued: “It’s one thing to say we’re going to remove illegal migrants, people who have no right to be here, I’m up for that. It’s completely different thing to say we’re going to reach in to people who are lawfully here and start removing them… They are our neighbours, they’re people who work in our economy, they’re part of who we are. It will rip this country apart.”
Reform Hits Back
Reform’s Zia Yusuf responded sharply: “Labour’s message to the country is clear: pay hundreds of billions for foreign nationals to live off the state forever, or Labour will call you racist.
Mr Farage himself said, “Keir Starmer has spent his entire weekend attacking Reform. This is the reason why,” while sharing an image of a poll predicting Reform to win a strong majority at the next election.
A YouGov poll published over the weekend found that whilst most people do not want to see individuals stripped of Indefinite Leave to Remain if they have already achieved the status, a plurality of Britons, 44 per cent, would support scrapping the policy moving forward.
Leadership Under Pressure
The Prime Minister’s combative stance comes amid mounting speculation about his political future. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has been the subject of leadership speculation after reports emerged of party members plotting Sir Keir’s replacement.
During the conference, rumours have swirled that Burnham, often described in British media as “the King of the North,” could mount a leadership challenge. However, Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands noted that the challenge for Burnham – a popular figure within the party – is that one has to be an MP to be able to run for prime minister.
Sir Keir dismissed leadership speculation with what some described as lordly indifference, refusing to mention Burnham by name. “Comments about leaders and leadership are part and parcel of being in politics. It is the bread and butter of politics,” he said. “Every leader gets it. It’s in the job description.”
Economic Challenges Mount
Just hours before Sir Keir’s speech, official figures showed the UK economy grew by just 0.3% between April and June, marking a steep fall from 0.7% in the first three months of the year.
Treasury Chief Rachel Reeves acknowledged on Monday that wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and US President Donald Trump’s tariffs have caused “harsh global headwinds,” with hard economic choices looming when she sets out her budget in November.
Sir Keir described securing growth as “the defining mission” of his government, arguing that “growth is the pound in your pocket, it is more money for trips, meals out, the little things that bring joy to our lives, the peace of mind that comes from economic security. But it is also the antidote to division.”
Tough Message for Left-Wingers
The Prime Minister delivered a tough message to left-wing party members, insisting they must accept “uncomfortable” policies in areas such as immigration to appeal to voters. He nodded to nationalist sentiment by praising flags and saying people were right to be proud of flying them.
The Labour leader also hinted at another bid to curb welfare spending, stating: “A Labour Party that cannot control spending is a Labour Party that cannot govern in our times.
In a significant education announcement, Sir Keir said Labour will scrap the target of seeing 50% of young people go to university and replace it with an aim of two-thirds doing either a degree or a “gold standard apprenticeship”.
‘United We Fight’
Sir Keir urged party unity against the Reform threat, telling BBC News: “We have got the fight of our lives ahead of us, because we’ve got to take on Reform. We’ve got to beat them, and so now is not the time for introspection or navel gazing. We need to be in that fight united.”
Professor John Curtice of the University of Strathclyde noted that voters have become “deeply pessimistic,” observing that Sir Keir, who has won praise for his sober handling of the Ukraine war and Trump’s White House, is “very good with bad news” but “not very good at optimism.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, a Sir Keir ally, defended the leader but acknowledged challenges, saying the party didn’t need a new leader but had to “be better at telling the story of what we are trying to do.”
European Context
The Reform UK party led by Mr Farage, a staunch ally and friend of President Donald Trump, is leading the polls, having capitalised on discontent over the cost-of-living crisis that has seen a rise in concern over immigration.
This mirrors a familiar story across Europe, where mainstream centrists such as France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz are being out-polled by nationalists and populists on the hard right.
The Prime Minister’s decision to directly attack Mr Farage and brand Reform’s policies as racist represents a significant escalation in Labour’s strategy against the populist threat. Some within Labour argue that the party can never outflank Reform and that they should draw a line in the sand after Mr Farage’s recent announcements.
It will be telling to see whether Sir Keir’s ‘racist’ jibe is adopted by others – and if it heralds the beginning of a more assertive strategy towards Reform UK.
More than 30,000 people have made the dangerous crossing from France so far this year despite efforts by authorities in Britain, France and other countries to crack down on people-smuggling gangs.
As Labour’s conference continues in Liverpool, the party faces its most challenging period since returning to power just over a year ago. With Reform UK topping opinion polls and internal dissent growing, Sir Keir’s fierce rhetoric against Mr Farage represents a high-stakes gamble to rally his party and reconnect with disillusioned voters.
The coming months will prove crucial in determining whether the Prime Minister’s combative new approach can reverse Labour’s declining fortunes or whether, as some party insiders fear, the damage to his leadership has already become irreversible.
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Image Credit:
Keir Starmer — photo by Rwendland / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0
