NIGEL Farage does not like or believe in Britain, Sir Keir Starmer has declared.
The PM branded the Reform UK chief his political enemy as he kicked off his keynote speech at Labour’s conference in Liverpool.
AFPSir Keir Starmer delivers his speech at party conference in Liverpool[/caption]
PAThe Prime Minister warned against ‘snake oil merchants’ peddling ‘quick fixes’Reform would win 311 seats which is a big increase on polling from June[/caption]
Reform UK chief Nigel FarageAlamy
It comes after another poll this week showed Mr Farage continuing to steal a march on Downing Street.
The More in Common survey said Reform would win a staggering 373 seats if an election were held tomorrow – handing the Reform UK leader a Commons majority of 96, bigger than Boris Johnson’s 2019 landslide.
Addressing delegates, Sir Keir said Britain faced a “defining choice” as big as rebuilding from the rubble of the Second World War.
He told the hall: “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.”
Sir Keir argued Mr Farage thrives on running the country down, offering false promises and feeding off grievance instead of backing Britain’s future.
He warned against “snake oil merchants” peddling “quick fixes” and “miracle cures” that only lead to “ruin” and “chaos”.
He fumed: “We can all see these snake oil merchants, on the right, on the left, but be in no doubt, conference, none of them have any interest in national renewal, because decline is good for their business.
“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 it. They want to turn this country, this proud, self-reliant country, into a competition of victims.”
Pitching himself as the patriot, Sir Keir declared Britain “a tolerant, pragmatic, reasonable country” and vowed to fight for “a land of resolve, a land of respect”.
In a fiery speech today, Keir:
Sir Keir tore into Nigel Farage saying he “doesn’t believe in Britain”
PM said the “defining mission” of his government is to “grow the economy, improve living standards, and change the way we create wealth”.
He welcomed Donald Trump’s peace initiative for Gaza but failed to mention former Labour PM Tony Blair’s role in it.
He came close to apologising to small businesses for the impact of the NICs hike. “We asked a lot at the last budget, I know that,” he said.
In a blast at his colleagues on the left, Sir Keir said Labour had to change because it had become “a party that patronised working people”.
In a big patriotism drive – as Reform lead in the polls – audience members were handed flags before the speech.
The PM said the flags “belong to all of us” and vowed “we will never surrender them”
He also made clear those who stoke division are not just opponents but enemies.
He said: “Free speech is a British value and we have guarded it for centuries, but if you incite racist violence and hatred, that is not expressing concern – it’s criminal.
“This party – this great party – is proud of our flags, yet if they are painted alongside graffiti, telling a Chinese takeaway owner to ‘go home’, that’s not pride – that’s racism.
“And, conference, if you say or imply that people cannot be English or British because of the colour of their skin, that mixed-heritage families owe you an explanation, that people who have lived here for generations, raised their children here, built lives here – working in our schools, our hospitals, running businesses – our neighbours, if you say they should now be deported, then mark my words, we will fight you with everything we have because you are an enemy of national renewal.”
Reform UK has announced it would abolish the right of migrants to quality for permanent settlement in the UK after five years if the party wins the next election.
Under the plans, migrants would need to reapply for new visas with tougher rules, and Reform would abolish Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), which gives people rights and access to benefits.
The speech comes at a tough moment for Sir Keir after weeks of speculation over his leadership, stoked by Andy Burnham’s claim there was a “climate of fear” inside Labour.
Meanwhile, Reform UK continues to enjoy strong polling numbers, piling pressure on Labour over its promises on tax, spending and immigration.
Earlier this week, the PM told the BBC Mr Farage’s policy to scrap indefinite leave to remain was “racist”.
And the Home Secretary insisted it was “worse than racist” but “immoral”.
Mr Farage is set to accuse Labour of inciting violence against his party in a speech this afternoon.
The Reform boss will argue the safety of his candidates and activists have been put at risk by the rhetoric peddled by the PM and his ministers.
He is expected to use a live broadcast shortly after the PM’s keynote speech at conference.
Elsewhere in his speech, the PM described economic growth as being the “antidote to division” as he continued his pitch for “national renewal”.
He told delegates and activists: “So much of it comes back to economic growth.
“In fact, I’ll say it now, so there’s no doubt: The defining mission of this Government is to grow the economy, improve living standards and change the way we create wealth.”
Sir Keir later added: “Growth is the pound in your pocket, it is more money for trips, meals out, the little things that bring joy to our lives, the peace of mind that comes from economic security.
“But it is also the antidote to division – that’s the most important aspect of national renewal.”
He also said: “The way you grow an economy – not just how much but who and where benefits – that can either build a nation or it can pull it apart.”
Sir Keir called for “an economy that unites” people and communities, able to face down “the threats of a volatile world”.
Concluding his hour-long speech, the PM said he will “fight with every breath I have” for working people and for “the tolerant, respectful Britain that I know”.
He went on: “People say, conference, that a nation like ours can’t be a community, that it’s too diverse, that it’s too divided, I reject that, that goes against everything I understand about this great country that I love.
“So no matter how many times people tell me that it can’t be done, I believe Britain can come together, that we can pursue a shared destination, that we can unite around the common good. That is my ambition, the purpose of this Government.
“End decline, reform our public services, grow our economy from the grassroots and with resolve, with respect, with the flag in our hands we will renew this country until we can say with total conviction that Britain is built for all. Thank you conference, fly those flags.”
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