Keir Starmer labelled 'desperate' as GB News tracks surge in PMQs attacks against Nigel Farage

Jack Walters
Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:50:27 +0000

Sir Keir Starmer has been labelled "desperate" for repeatedly attacking Nigel Farage at Prime Minister's Questions as new figures from GB News highlight a surge in barbs targeting the Reform UK leader.

Analysis by GB News has found that Mr Farage and Reform UK have been mentioned 163 times by Sir Keir at Prime Minister's Questions since Labour came to power in July 2024.

Despite Sir Ed Davey being given two questions per week, the People's Channel can reveal that the Liberal Democrat leader has only been referred to 80 times.

Half of the references were made out of courtesy to the Liberal Democrat leader, while GB News found that only around 20 were critical of Sir Ed.

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Sir Keir's attacks on Zack Polanski's Greens remain even lower, with four out of 17 references to the left-wing party coming in the last month.

GB News can also reveal that Labour MPs lead the way in asking Sir Keir more questions about Mr Farage and Reform UK.

Almost 35 backbench Labour MPs appear to have now asked lowball questions about the Prime Minister's main challenger in the opinion polls.

The figure drops to just four among Tory MPs and three among Liberal Democrat MPs, albeit with Sir Ed delivering regular barbs at the Reform UK leader.

Labour MPs have tended to focus on Mr Farage's previous comments on the NHS, Reform UK's handling of local authorities, and Nathan Gill's Russian bribery conviction.

A Reform UK source told GB News: "The desperation from Starmer is clear for everyone to see. He refuses to engage on the issues and instead tries to sling mud."

GB News also found Mr Farage has been interrupted eight times during his 10 questions at Prime Minister's Questions.

The analysis showed a recent trend in Labour MPs being called to ask questions about the Reform UK leader just moments before he rises to his feet.

Labour MP Fleur Anderson asked Sir Keir about women's rights on February 25, prompting the Prime Minister to call on Mr Farage to sack the deputy leader of Lancashire County Council immediately before the Clacton MP quizzed Sir Keir on the Chagos Islands.

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Ahead of Mr Farage's next question on March 18, Labour MP Steve Witherden urged Sir Keir to condemn the Reform UK leader over his stance on workers' rights.

Mr Farage's small boats question on March 25 was preceded immediately by Labour MP Darren Paffey setting up the Prime Minister for an attack on Mr Gill.

Comparing Sir Keir's attacks to Reform's rise in the opinion polls also suggests that the Prime Minister remains spooked by Mr Farage's popularity in the polls.

GB News also found that a vast majority of Sir Keir's early Prime Minister's Questions did not include attacks against Mr Farage as Reform UK was polling below 20 per cent.

During his first four months in office, Sir Keir did not mention Reform UK at all in Prime Minister's Questions.

Sir Keir delivered his first jibe at the Reform UK leader on November 13, 2024, joking about Mr Farage's time spent in America.

Despite Angela Rayner's jab at Lee Anderson a week later, Sir Keir waited until January 8, 2025, to make a pointed remark about Elon Musk's rumoured donation.

The most intensive attacks came when Reform was already polling near its 30 per cent peak, including multiple sessions in late 2025 with Sir Keir regularly making 10 or more references in one sitting of Prime Minister's Questions.

Labour sources have told GB News that No10 made a decision to ramp up attacks against Mr Farage following the 2025 Local Elections.

GB News also detected a noticeable increase in attacks after Reform UK's showing in May 2025.

A steady increase preceded Sir Keir attacking Reform UK 44 times in the autumn of 2025.

Sir Keir has already blasted Mr Farage 50 times in the first three months of 2026, including 11 times on March 25.

However, the Prime Minister's decision to ramp up attacks against Mr Farage has seen Reform UK increase its protests in the House of Commons.

Mr Farage staged his first protest on October 22, 2025, instead opting to watch Sir Keir's exchange with MPs in the public gallery.

The Reform UK leader made a similar intervention ahead of the last Prime Minister's Questions of 2025 on December 17.

Mr Farage later led a walkout of all eight Reform UK MPs on March 25 following his exchange with the Prime Minister on small boat crossings.

A Labour source told GB News: "Reform can dish it out, but they can't take it: maybe that's why Nigel Farage keeps missing PMQs and jetting off around the world on his donor's private jet instead.

"But they can't hide from scrutiny of their bad policies, dodgy associations and failures in local government."