Keir Starmer warns a Reform UK government would “tear” the country apart, marking one of his strongest criticisms of Nigel Farage amid political tensions.
The party, which is presently dominating the polls, will
"tear apart our country with their propositions for not actually respecting the tolerant, diverse country that we are,"
the prime minister said.
He added:
“They’ve got no ideas on the economy whatsoever.
And my worry is, and this is how history tells us, is that a rightwing proposition like that, with fantastical ideas, leaning towards Russia, if it gets into power, it will find that its policies don’t work, and it won’t become more progressive, it won’t nudge towards the centre, it’ll be go to the right, to the right, to the right.
We’ve not faced that in this country ever in this form, and it is the political fight of our times and we have to win that political fight.”
Additionally, he asserted that under a Tory government, he could "sleep at night," but under a more right-wing one, things would be different.
This is a "real test of centrist politics," according to Starmer.
Based on replies from nearly 20,000 Britons, a September More in Common mega-poll predicted that if voters were going to the polls soon, Reform would win a general election.
Only 90 seats would be won by Labour, 41 by the Tories, and 373 by Reform.
According to data from the Electoral Commission, Farage's populist party also took £9 million from a donor in Thailand during the third quarter of 2025, making it the highest political donation in history.
Farage responded to accusations of racism in a press conference conducted hours after Starmer's remarks were made public.
According to some of his Dulwich College friends, the party leader was accused of racism and antisemitism when he was a teenager.
The Clacton MP has responded to the allegations in a number of ways, ranging from acknowledging that he may have made inappropriate remarks but not with malice or the intention of causing harm to asserting that the accusations are unfounded.
He said:
“I cannot put up with the double standards of the BBC about what I’m alleged to have said 49 years ago, and what you were putting out on mainstream content. So I want an apology from the BBC for virtually everything you did throughout the 1970s and 80s.”
Farage referred to Emma Barnett, a BBC Radio 4 presenter, as a "lower grade presenter" when she attacked Richard Tice, Farage's deputy, over the accusations this morning.
Ian Cooper, the leader of Reform UK's council, was later accused of making racist remarks on social media, and Farage hinted that he might fire him.
He said the party had not been aware of Cooper’s other social media accounts, saying:
“We’re going through due process. All I can say is it doesn’t look very good. We expect our people to be truthful with us and if they’re truthful with us, we’ll be honorable towards them.”
What specific policies of Reform UK did Starmer criticise?
Keir Starmer specifically blamed Reform UK's immigration programs, particularly their plan to scrap indefinite leave to remain (ILR) for legal settlers. He described this policy as" racist" and" immoral," advising it could lead to the expatriation of hundreds of thousands of people lawfully abiding in the UK who contribute to society.
Starmer emphasized the difference between removing illegal settlers and targeting settled individualities, who are neighbors, workers in hospitals and seminaries, and part of the country's fabric.
He also blamed Reform UK's pledge to bannon-citizens from claiming benefits and taking settlers applying for citizenship to renounce other citizenships. Starmer prompted Labour to unite against what he views as the divisive and dangerous Reform UK docket, which he believes threatens public cohesion.