Sir Keir Starmer has launched a fresh attack on Nigel Farage, accusing the Reform UK leader of being an “enemy of national renewal” over his immigration plans.
In his keynote address at the Labour Party conference, the prime minister said: “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 and so he resorts to grievance. They all do.”
Taking to the stage, Sir Keir called for unity, telling the crowd at Liverpool: “We can all see our country faces a choice, a defining choice. Britain stands at a fork in the road.
“We can choose decency. Or we can choose division. Renewal or decline.”
He also took the fight to Reform, reclaiming the Union Jack flag and calling for stronger borders and controlled migration.
Despite the cheers that greeted him, one Labour figure was notably absent as Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was pictured leaving the conference shortly before the speech.
The PM has faced a turbulent month, losing to scandal key figures in his team and facing open opposition from within his party, all against the backdrop of Reform outperforming Labour in the polls following a summer of protests against illegal immigration.
Badenoch says Starmer has ‘all but confirmed’ tax rises
Kemi Badenoch said the Prime Minister had “all but confirmed” that taxes would increase at the Budget in November.
The Conservative leader said: “Keir Starmer has all but confirmed that tax rises are coming.
“The Prime Minister could have used his speech to own up to the mistakes he’s made on the economy, admit the country was living beyond its means and set out a plan to avoid further punishing tax hikes this autumn, but he did not.
“In Labour’s first year, inflation has doubled, economic growth has halved and unemployment has risen almost every single month. Everyone in Britain will now pay the price for Starmer’s weakness with a smaller economy and higher taxes.”
Reform will teach Starmer a lesson in May, Farage vows
Nigel Farage has promised to teach Sir Keir Starmer a lesson in May “that British political history will never forget”.
The Reform UK leader said he is “more determined than ever” to trounce Labour in the local elections, particularly in Scotland and Wales, after a series of attacks on his character throughout the party’s conference.
He said: “I am now, as a result of this week, and the abuse that has been heaped upon our supporters and our voters, more determined than ever.“Don’t underestimate that.”
Farage: Starmer’s attacks are direct threat to our safety
Nigel Farage has said Sir Keir Starmer’s personal attacks on him and Reform UK are a direct threat to the safety of its MPs and activists.
Responding to the prime minister’s conference speech, which was laden with personal criticisms of Reform, Mr Farage said: “It directly threatens the safety of our elected officials and our campaigners.
“Frankly, in the wake of the Charlie Kirk murder, it is an absolute disgrace.
“I used to think the prime minister was a decent man… I am completely shocked at his behaviour.
“I hope that when he wakes up tomorrow morning, he feels ashamed of what he has done.”
Mr Farage added that it is “a desperate last throw of the dice from a prime minister deeply in trouble” and said he no longer believes Sir Keir is fit to be prime minister.
David Lammy says Farage has ‘brass neck’ for incitement of violence claim
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said Nigel Farage has a “brass neck” for accusing Labour of inciting violence against his party.
The Reform UK leader is expected to make the claim in a response to Sir Keir Starmer’s conference speech.
Asked about it, Mr Lammy told the BBC: “I think he’s got a bit of a brass neck, hasn’t he, Nigel Farage?
“This story goes back a long way. This is calling out his policies, his policies that would line people up who have a right to be in this country, who might be Indian, who might be Nigerian, and send them home. It’s not British. It doesn’t respect our values.
“And Keir Starmer was very articulate about that.”
Asked whether he thought Mr Farage was a racist, Mr Lammy stressed that his policies were racist.
“I’m not going to play the man. I’m playing the ball, as our leader did. I will leave it for the public to come to their own judgments about someone who once flirted with Hitler Youth when he was younger.”
Former Labour shadow chancellor describes Starmer speech as ‘extremely policy light’
John McDonnell, the party’s former shadow chancellor, told the Independent the speech was “full blown rhetorical flourish but extremely policy light, exemplified by denunciation of child poverty but sadly no announcement on scrapping the two-child limit”.
Mr McDonnell was only given the party whip back last year after he was suspended as part of a row over the two-child benefit cap.
Starmer vows to ‘fight with every breath’ for working people
Sir Keir Starmer said he would “fight with every breath I have” for “working people” and “the tolerant, decent, respectful Britain I know”.
The Prime Minister told Labour conference: “The Tories – remember them?
“I don’t know if they believed in grievance politics.
“Maybe they do now, when you see them turning away from the rule of law. It’s honestly hard to tell.
“But one thing I do know, conference, is that not once in 14 years did they ever properly stand up to it. But I will.
“I will fight with every breath I have – fight for working people, fight for the tolerant, decent, respectful Britain I know.
“People say a nation like ours can’t be a community, that it’s too diverse, too divided.
“I reject that. That goes against everything I stand for, everything I’ve served, everything I understand about this great country I love.
Lib Dem leader praises Starmer speech against Farage
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has praised the Prime Minister for “stepping up the fight against Nigel Farage” after his Labour party conference speech in Liverpool.
In a post on X, he said: “I’m glad Keir Starmer is finally stepping up the fight against Nigel Farage, and I hope this will mark the end of his Government parroting Farage and copying his divisive politics.”
Watch: Keir Starmer jokes about his ‘toolmaker’ dad
Trade union backs Starmer’s speech
The GMB trade union said Labour “wants to make our country better”.
Responding to Sir Keir Starmer’s conference speech, general secretary Gary Smith said: “Investing in shipbuilding. Investing in our NHS. Investing in new nuclear.
“Add in ending fire and rehire, sick pay for all and brand new union rights, and it’s clear: this Labour Government wants to make our country better.
“Let’s get on with it.”
Analysis: Starmer is in the fight of his career and today’s speech shows he is rising to it
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke says:
Sir Keir Starmer is fighting for political survival, but his performance at today’s speech shows that he is beginning to rise to the challenge.
The PM’s energy today is stronger and more engaging than he has been since winning the election last year.
Having so far received at least nine standing ovations, the prime minister appears to have won the room – despite starting the speech to a rather glib reception.
Some 55 minutes into his address, the PM is now being met with wild applause and deafening cheers, a far cry from the lacklustre welcome he received at the start.
