Sir Keir Starmer has issued a rallying cry to Welsh Labour activists as Reform UK launches its campaign to snatch Caerphilly in next month’s Senedd by-election.
Making a surprise appearance at the Welsh Labour fringe event on Sunday night, Sir Keir failed to mention the threat posed by pro-independence challengers in Plaid Cymru.
The Prime Minister instead renewed his assault against Nigel Farage and Reform UK, mentioning either the Clacton MP or his party four times in the last minute of his speech.
Sir Keir appeared to double down on his previous attack lines against Mr Farage, accusing the Reform UK leader of “cosying up” to Vladimir Putin, voting against workers’ rights and bringing about division through his policy to end Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Speaking to a packed room of members, Sir Keir said: “As we go into that fight next year, we need to be really clear about that fight with Reform.
“This is a right-wing project, the like of which we’ve never seen in this country.
“This is a different election, a crucial election because you have that patriotic sense of driving Wales forward with a First Minister who is focused, only, with taking her whole country together, on serving her full country, every single person and every single community, in that country.
“That’s Eluned for you. That’s the Wales we want. Or we have Reform, with toxic division. Reform, who want to pull our communities apart. Who can’t see unity. Who want to reach people who have lived here for years and start deporting them.
Sir Keir Starmer issued a rallying cry to Welsh Labour activists
|GB NEWS
“These are people who have worked in our health service, in education, in running businesses, your neighbours in Wales. This will tear our communities apart.
“Reform, who voted against every single one of the rights of the employment rights bill that will help so many millions of workers across the country, including right across Wales.
“Reform, who would take the complete opposite approach, we wouldn’t be the coalition of the willing, taking the fight to Putin in relation to defence and security in Europe.”
The attack against Reform on the issue of Russia has ramped up in Liverpool after former Brexit Party MEP Nathan Gill pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery, whereby he was paid to make pro-Russian statements in the European Parliament.
Nigel Farage is a major topic at Labour Party Conference | GETTYThe Welsh Labour event was attended by a large number of MPs, including Treasury Minister Torsten Bell and Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens.
Baroness Jenny Chapman accompanied her Labour MP husband Nick Smith at the event, with Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband also making an appearance.
Sir Keir had a slightly awkward moment when he went to leave the stage after introducing First Minister Eluned Morgan, only to be summoned back to personally greet his Welsh counterpart.
Despite Welsh Labour activists later chanting “fight, fight, fight” when Baroness Morgan took aim at Mr Farage, two Senedd candidates believe the battle for Wales is now between Reform UK and Plaid Cymru.
Starmer made a surprise appearance at the Welsh Labour fringe event on Sunday night
|GB NEWS
“This is the biggest election of our lives,” one candidate told GB News. “It’s about even between Reform and Plaid. We’ve got a real uphill battle on our hands.”
A second candidate warned: “Reform has upped the intensity massively. Welsh politics needed a shake-up but now I fear it’s a fight between Plaid and Reform. If I had to choose, I hope Plaid wins.”
Sir Keir’s refusal to take aim at Plaid will also spark concern from Unionists in Wales about Labour potentially forming yet another coalition with a pro-independence First Minister at the helm.
Welsh Labour was propped up by the Liberal Democrats between 2000 and 2003, before entering a formal coalition with Plaid Cymru from 2007 to 2011.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (left) and newly announced party candidate for the upcoming Caerphilly Senedd by-election Llyr Powell (right)
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Opinion polls suggest the race between Reform UK and Plaid Cymru is almost neck-and-neck.
YouGov puts Plaid Cymru on 30 per cent, just one point ahead of Reform UK on 29 per cent.
Meanwhile, Labour slumped down to just 14 per cent, leaving the Tories in a distant fourth on 11 per cent.
Such a scenario would likely see Plaid Cymru become the first party other than Labour to top a Senedd or general election poll in Wales since 1922, potentially making Rhun ap Iowerth First Minister.
While Labour activists prepare to take on Mr Farage, Reform UK has been campaigning in Caerphilly.
Such a scenario would likely see Plaid Cymru become the first party other than Labour to top a Senedd or general election poll in Wales since 1922, potentially making Rhun ap Iowerth First Minister.
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Reform UK MP Lee Anderson and Reform UK MS Laura Anne Jones joined candidate Llyr Powell as the clock ticks down to the polls opening on October 23.
Mr Farage has also revealed that Reform UK will “throw everything” at the Caerphilly by-election campaign.
Speaking earlier this month, the Reform UK leader said: “We intend to win this by-election.”
He added: “You will be seeing an awful lot of me between now and next May.”