'A grifter and chancer': Starmer blasts ‘flighty’ Farage in address to the nation as he says Polanski isn’t a leader
The Prime Minister warned Britain faces “very dangerous opponents” if Labour fails to turn things around
Sir Keir Starmer has launched a blistering attack on Nigel Farage, branding him a “grifter” and a “chancer”, as he warned Britain faces “very dangerous opponents” if Labour fails to turn things around.
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In a make-or-break speech aimed at resetting his premiership, the Prime Minister said: “We are not just facing dangerous times, but dangerous opponents, very dangerous opponents.”
Admitting he still has doubters to win over after last week's nightmare election results, he added: “This hurts not just because Labour has done badly, but because if we don’t get this right, our country will go down a very dark path.”
The address comes as pressure mounts inside Labour after last week’s devastating election results.
Labour lost nearly 1,500 seats, as well as control of the Senedd and 40 councils.
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A total of 34 Labour MPs are now calling for Starmer to quit as party leader and Prime Minister, while senior figures including former deputy leader Angela Rayner have urged the government to change course.
Starmer continued on Monday morning: "We are battling Reform and the Greens, but at a deeper level we are battling on the despair on which they prey.
"Farage and Polanski don’t offer serious leadership that these times demand."
His scathing comments comes after Sir Keir branded Zack Polanski “disgraceful” and “unfit” to lead a political party after the Greens leader criticised police over their handling of the Golders Green stabbings suspect.
The Prime Minister said it was wrong to second-guess officers forced to make split-second decisions in a potentially life-threatening situation.
In the speech, the Prime Minister added his party “cannot win as a weaker version of Reform or the Greens. We can only win as a stronger version of Labour”.