Sir Keir Starmer has launched his most aggressive attack yet on Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, branding their immigration policies “racist” and “immoral” as Labour’s annual conference kicks off in Liverpool amid mounting pressure on his leadership.
The Prime Minister accused Reform of wanting to “tear our country apart” through their plans to scrap indefinite leave to remain for legal migrants, sparking an immediate backlash from Mr Farage’s party, which currently leads Labour by eight points in recent YouGov polling.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Sir Keir said: “I do think it’s a racist policy. I do think it is immoral. It needs to be called out for what it is.” The comments mark a significant escalation in rhetoric as Labour faces what the Prime Minister himself describes as “the fight of our lives” against the insurgent right-wing party.
Reform UK’s head of policy, Zia Yusuf, hit back forcefully: “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. Reform’s plan will ensure only British people can access welfare and that migrants contribute to society.”
Labour Conference Opens in Crisis Mode
The confrontation comes as Labour delegates gather in Liverpool for what many see as a make-or-break conference for Sir Keir’s embattled leadership. With the party trailing Reform UK in polls and facing a nightmare Budget on 26 November that could require up to £30billion in tax hikes, mutinous MPs are openly discussing alternatives.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has emerged as the focal point for discontent, revealing that MPs have been privately urging him to challenge the Prime Minister throughout the summer. “People have contacted me throughout the summer, yeah. I’m not going to say to you that that hasn’t happened,” Mr Burnham told The Telegraph, adding it was “more a decision for those people than it is for me.”
The Mayor accused Downing Street of creating a “climate of fear” and said “wholesale change” was required to see off an “existential” threat to the party. His intervention has frustrated Labour MPs according to party chair Anna Turley, who called for unity behind the Prime Minister’s vision whilst acknowledging it had been “quite a challenging couple of weeks.”
Reform’s Radical Immigration Proposals
At the heart of the row are Reform UK’s proposals to fundamentally reshape Britain’s immigration system. The party plans to abolish the right of migrants to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years, instead requiring them to reapply for visas every five years under stricter conditions.
Under Reform’s proposals, migrants would face a higher salary threshold, tougher English language tests, and most would be banned from accessing welfare benefits. The party claims this could save £234billion over several decades, though government ministers have dismissed these figures as having “no basis in reality.”
Mr Farage defended the plans, stating: “It is not for us to provide welfare for people coming in from all over the world. None of them will be given indefinite leave to remain.” The proposals would retroactively apply to those already living in the UK, though EU citizens with settled status would be exempted.
Political Battle Lines Drawn
Sir Keir attempted to draw a distinction between opposing Reform’s policies and condemning their voters, stating: “I think there are plenty of people who either vote Reform or are thinking of voting Reform who are frustrated.” However, his use of the term “racist” risks inflaming tensions with voters considering backing Mr Farage’s party.
The Prime Minister argued that Reform’s plans would affect people “who have been here for years, working in our hospitals and our schools, running businesses, our neighbours” and would “rip this country apart.”
Housing Secretary Steve Reed backed his leader, branding Mr Farage a “plastic patriot” after the Reform UK leader “begged” the US Congress to put sanctions on British workers. Mr Reed expressed confidence that Sir Keir would lead Labour into the next general election despite the current turmoil.
Immigration Control Proposals Under Scrutiny
Amidst the war of words, Sir Keir also outlined Labour’s own immigration control measures, insisting his controversial proposals for compulsory identification would clarify the “principle that you cannot work in the UK unless you have ID.”
However, the Prime Minister struggled to explain how the new arrangements would make a significant difference when firms are already obliged to obtain proof that people have a right to work in Britain, raising questions about whether Labour’s approach offers meaningful solutions to immigration concerns.
Immigration has become the dominant political issue, with Reform UK successfully setting the agenda according to polling. Nearly half of Britons (44%) believe Reform are doing the most to define political debate, compared to just 14% for Labour, even amongst the government’s own voters.
Budget Pressures Mount
Adding to Labour’s woes, Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces the daunting task of delivering a Budget on 26 November that could require massive tax increases to balance the books. With the economy stalling and government borrowing costs spiking, fears are mounting that painful decisions lie ahead.
The Chancellor attempted to deflect leadership speculation when questioned about Mr Burnham, stating he is doing a “great job in Manchester” and had committed to serving a full term as mayor until May 2028. She insisted Sir Keir “won the general election last year, and he will get on and do that job.”
Reform’s Momentum Builds
The confrontation highlights Reform UK’s extraordinary rise under Mr Farage and Mr Yusuf’s leadership. The party has expanded from 35,000 to over 250,000 members, gained control of twelve councils, and secured its first Scottish Parliament seat in recent by-elections.
A recent YouGov MRP projection showed Reform UK on course to become the largest party in a hung parliament if an election were held tomorrow, winning 301 seats to Labour’s 144. The model gives Reform a 91% chance of emerging as the largest party and an 8% chance of securing an outright majority.
Mr Yusuf, who donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to Reform before becoming chairman and later head of policy, has been instrumental in professionalising the party’s operations. Despite briefly resigning in June over internal disputes, he returned to lead the party’s Department of Government Efficiency initiative inspired by Elon Musk’s US counterpart.
Conference Stakes Could Not Be Higher
As delegates gather in Liverpool, Sir Keir faces the challenge of rallying a demoralised party whilst fending off leadership speculation. The Prime Minister insisted Labour must “unite and fight” against the Reform threat, warning that voting for Mr Farage’s party would shape Britain “for generations.”
“Most elections have always been Labour or Conservative. This is a different election that we’re facing. We have not had a proposition like Reform in this country ever before,” Sir Keir warned. “This is a fight about who we are as a country. It goes to the soul of our future.”
With local elections looming in May 2026 that could prove decisive for his leadership, Sir Keir called for space to implement his agenda. I just need the space to get on and do what we need to do,” he pleaded, dismissing leadership speculation as “part and parcel of being in politics.
The battle lines are now clearly drawn between Labour’s vision of a “tolerant, diverse” Britain and Reform’s promise of stricter immigration controls and welfare restrictions. With Reform setting the political agenda and Labour struggling to respond effectively, the Liverpool conference represents a crucial moment for Sir Keir to regain momentum or risk seeing his premiership unravel barely a year after taking office.
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Image Credit:
Keir Starmer — photo by Rwendland / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0
