UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday accused Nigel Farage of crossing “a moral line” with his anti-immigration rhetoric, contrasting the Reform UK leader’s divisive politics with his own vision of “patriotic renewal.”
Speaking at Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, Starmer framed Britain’s political battle as a “fight for the soul of our country,” urging voters to reject what he described as “snake oil merchants” promising easy solutions. “I do not accept that Britain is broken,” he said, insisting that his government can deliver a more hopeful future.
Starmer attacked Farage directly, saying the veteran populist never speaks positively about Britain’s future. “He doesn’t like Britain, doesn’t believe in Britain, wants you to doubt it as much as he does,” Starmer told delegates.
Since Labour’s landslide victory in July 2024, the party’s approval ratings have sunk. Inflation remains high and growth sluggish, frustrating its efforts to restore public services. Treasury chief Rachel Reeves blamed “harsh global headwinds” from wars and U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, warning of tough decisions in the upcoming budget.
The bleak outlook has fueled support for Farage’s Reform UK, now topping opinion polls despite holding just five parliamentary seats. His anti-establishment message, echoing Trump’s MAGA movement, has centered on stopping migrant boats crossing the English Channel. More than 30,000 people have made the perilous journey this year.
Farage has vowed mass deportations and even stripping residency rights from many legal immigrants. Starmer condemned the proposals as “racist” and “immoral,” adding that inciting racist violence “is not expressing concern, that is criminal.” He said people have a “reasonable demand” for secure borders but warned against crossing into thuggery.
In an unusually fiery address, Starmer also set out a program of rebuilding Britain through public and private investment in infrastructure, education, housing and industry. He said citizens should be proud to fly the national flag “as we celebrate difference and oppose racism.”
Farage dismissed the speech as “an absolute disgrace,” accusing Starmer of implying Reform supporters are racists.
Amid Labour’s struggles, speculation has grown about Starmer’s leadership, with Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham seen as a possible challenger. But delegates in Liverpool welcomed his more passionate tone. “We need to call out the division in our society,” said Jeannette Banks of St. Helens.
Political analyst John Curtice said Labour’s challenge is not only fixing the economy but shifting public mood: “The question is whether the current leadership has the ability to change perceptions.”