Sir Keir Starmer has launched a fierce attack on Nigel Farage, accusing the Reform UK leader of “scaremongering from the sidelines” as MPs return to Westminster today following the six-week summer recess amid polling that shows the insurgent party holding a commanding lead over Labour.
The Prime Minister told The Mirror he has been “rolling up my sleeves to deliver change” whilst Reform and the Conservatives “talk down the country at every turn,” in his first public comments since Mr Farage unveiled controversial plans for mass deportations during the parliamentary break.
Reform UK currently holds a 10-point advantage over Labour in recent opinion polls, with support hovering at around 26 per cent compared to Labour’s 23 per cent, according to YouGov’s latest MRP model. The polling suggests that if an election were held tomorrow, Reform would become the largest party with 271 seats, whilst Labour would plummet to just 178 seats.
While Reform and the Tories talk down the country at every turn, we’re doing the work to make people’s lives better,” Sir Keir stated. “I’m not interested in scaremongering from the sidelines. I’m rolling up my sleeves to deliver change that makes a difference to you and your family.”
The Prime Minister’s combative tone marks a significant escalation in Labour’s strategy to counter Reform’s rising popularity. During the six-week parliamentary recess, Mr Farage dominated the political agenda with policy announcements on crime, migration, and the economy, including his controversial “Operation Restoring Justice” deportation plan.
James Johnson, co-founder of polling firm JL Partners and former Number 10 adviser, warned that Labour’s approach could backfire. Labour needs to be careful not to go down the scaremongering route,” he told GB News. “Voters have become very perceptive and aware of things that just don’t ring true and Project Fear prompted that concern.”
Johnson, who claimed the title of the world’s most accurate pollster after predicting Donald Trump’s landslide victory, added: “These attacks really show that Farage is showing up as a major red warning light in Labour’s polling. Otherwise the Prime Minister would not be wasting time or political capital on this.
Sir Keir blamed the previous Conservative Government for the country’s current challenges, stating: “The last Government refused to back Britain by funding the homes, transport, energy and other vital infrastructure we need for a modern economy and failed to invest in the skills and training we need for the jobs of the future.
The Prime Minister emphasised his government’s “Plan for Change,” claiming: “That has left working people paying the price. Through our Plan for Change, this Labour Government is doing things differently to put more money in your pocket.
Labour’s strategy appears to focus on three key attack lines against Reform: the NHS, workers’ rights, and Ukraine. Speaking at a campaign launch in Derbyshire, Sir Keir highlighted that Reform MPs “voted against fire and rehire” and “voted against scrapping exploitative zero hours contracts.
And what about the NHS? They want to charge people for using our NHS,” the Prime Minister added. “They claim to be the party of patriotism. There’s nothing patriotic about fawning over Putin.”
However, critics have pointed out that Labour’s own record on immigration may undermine these attacks. Since Sir Keir entered Number 10 last July, approximately 30,000 migrants have completed the perilous 21-mile Channel crossing, equating to just over 780 per week compared to 570 under Rishi Sunak and 400 under Boris Johnson.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch rejected Sir Keir’s accusations, telling reporters in Redhill, Surrey: “We’re not talking the country down, I am talking Keir Starmer down because he is doing a terrible job, and everyone can see that.
Mrs Badenoch added: “What I need to do is show people the Conservative Party has changed. There were mistakes made by the previous Conservative government, I am changing policy, like I’ve done with net zero.
The parliamentary return comes at a crucial time for the Government, with Labour’s support having collapsed from 34 per cent at last year’s general election to just 23 per cent in recent polls. The party’s unpopular decisions, including cutting Winter Fuel Payments and forcing farmers to pay inheritance tax, have contributed to this decline.
Cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson defended the Government’s approach, telling Sky News that Mr Farage’s party isn’t focused on genuine solutions. “Nigel Farage and Reform, they don’t actually want to sort this problem. It’s in their interests… he thinks their political interests are served by whipping up anger rather than fixing problems,” she stated.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to set out the Government’s practical solutions for tackling the small boats crisis today, as Labour attempts to regain control of the political narrative following Reform’s summer dominance.
The May 2025 local elections saw Reform UK win the largest number of seats with 677, amounting to 41 per cent of all seats up for election. Labour won just 98 seats, representing only 6 per cent of the total and marking the lowest proportion of seats the party has won in over 20 years.
As Parliament reconvenes, the battle lines are clearly drawn between Labour’s promise of practical governance and Reform’s populist insurgency. With polls suggesting a hung parliament looms if current trends continue, Sir Keir’s ability to counter Mr Farage’s momentum whilst delivering tangible improvements for voters will likely determine his political survival.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
Image Credit:
Keir Starmer in Northern Ireland — photo by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street, taken on 7 July 2024 in Holywood, United Kingdom, during a meeting with Jon Boucher, Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, at the Culloden Estate commons.wikimedia.org+2commons.wikimedia.org+2. Licensed under the United Kingdom Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL 3.0)
