Nigel Farage identified Keir Starmer as "part of a political establishment determined to crush dissent and free speech" in a volcanic new broadside.
The Reform UK leader's furious comments came after his party was frozen out of making nominations to the House of Lords yesterday, while the Prime Minister put forward 25 new peers to bolster Labour's control of the Upper Chamber.
Among those nominated were several Labour allies, including Sir Keir’s former communications head, Matthew Doyle, and Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s chief of staff, Katie Martin, leading to accusations of “cronyism".
"Normal communication between parties doesn't exist when it comes to Reform," Mr Farage declared.
Referring to Sir Keir, he said: "I used to think he was a decent bloke, maybe a bit wishy-washy. I now think he is part of a political establishment determined to crush dissent, determined to crush free speech and make sure Reform does not get a far crack of the whip."
"This makes me even more determined to do in the establishment and win the next General Election," Mr Farage pledged.
‘We deserve more peers!’ Lib Dem leader hits out at Nigel Farage and Reform over Lords sub
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has hit out at Nigel Farage after Reform UK was frozen out of appointing peers to the House of Lords.
Amid Labour stuffing the upper chamber with 25 allies, the Lib Dems were also able to appoint five of their own, including the party’s CEO.
However, Reform was not invited to select any peers despite having five MPs in Parliment and dominating the other parties in opinion polling.
"Well Liberal Democrats have got a great result at the last election we got 72 MPs, I don't know many MPs there are for Reform it's 4 or 5, they keep changing because people keep being sacked or resigning, but we've got many more MPs than Nigel Farage and that's obviously why we deserve more peers,” Sir Ed told GB News.
When asked if he had done a deal with Sir Keir Starmer, the Lib Dem leader rubbished the notion.
“We deserve to have more Peers we've had our best result at a General Election for over 100 years, and the last Conservative government I'm afraid, didn't allow us to have very many peers at all, so It's absolutely right,” he told The People’s Channel.
MPs warned over Russia-linked WhatsApp messages
MPs have been warned about Russian-linked WhatsApp as a potential security threat.
Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle wrote to lawmakers to warn them about Russian-linked attempts to target them on WhatsApp and other messaging apps, it is understood.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the warning was a matter for the Commons Speaker, but added: “I think we have been very clear, as have the various security agencies... this country about the threat posed by hostile state interference from Russia, and we’ve set that out explicitly many times.”
Sir Lindsay's warning came as Nato chief Mark Rutte gravely advised European allies must 'prepare for war with Russia now'
Nigel Farage responds to House of Lords snub
Nigel Farage responds to House of Lords snub
Nigel Farage unveils ex-Tory MP as Reform UK's cost-cutting tsar as defection deluge continues
Reform UK has appointed ex-Tory MP Ben Bradley as its new local government action tsar.
Mr Bradley, who served as the MP for Mansfield between 2017 and 2024, will support Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice in his Doge operation.
The 35-year-old said: “I'm delighted to be joining Reform UK at a really important time, and to be part of delivering the real change that is desperately needed.
"Successive governments have failed to deliver for so many people, and have demonstrated that they're unwilling to actually deliver on key promises to voters.
"They have talked about being tough on crime, reducing immigration, about helping working people, whilst in practice they've failed to act and have delivered the opposite. The trust in those parties has gone, and it's not coming back."
Mr Tice added: "I’m pleased to announce that Ben Bradley has joined Reform UK as Head of Local Government Action.
"Ben brings a wealth of experience as a former Local Authority Leader and MP for Mansfield. His expertise will help us provide strong leadership and deliver real results for councils across the country."
Mr Bradley joins more than 20 top Tories who have joined Reform UK, including ex-Red Wall MPs Jonathan Gullis and Marco Longhi.
Keir Starmer stopped from recreating iconic Love Actually moment
Keir Starmer has been blocked from recreating an iconic scene from Love Actually, which was to be posted to his new TikTok account.
In the inaugural post, the Prime Minister was filmed walking through Downing Street with his wife, Victoria Starmer, to a Christmas light switch-on outside, inviting viewers to “follow me”.
Accompanying the video was Santa’s Coming Home (For Christmas) by Niklas Gabrielsson Lind & OTE.
However, aides had initially hoped to set the video to "Jump" by The Pointer Sisters.
This pop classic has long been associated with a classic scene from the 2003 rom-com, where Hugh Grant, playing the Prime Minister, dances around No. 10 to the tune.
In the end, the idea was abandoned for fears it would breach copyright rules, per PoliticsHome.
Balaclava-clad protesters pelt councillors with eggs while debating 'sanctuary for asylum seekers'
Councillors in Kent were “violently intimidated” and “pelted with eggs” by people wearing balaclavas while holding a debate about asylum seekers.
Swale Borough Council was debating making the area a “District of Sanctuary” for asylum seekers in the meeting on Wednesday evening when the alleged attack took place.
Toilets at the council offices in Sittingbourne were also "flooded" and lifts were "destroyed", Labour MP Kevin McKenna said.
Mr McKenna, MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey which includes Swale Borough, branded the incident an “attack on democracy itself” as he told the House of Commons of his horror at the “violent scenes”.
"I’m horrified to report to you and to the House as a whole that last night in Swale Borough Council there were violent scenes as people wearing balaclavas in the public gallery itself violently intimidated councillors," he told MPs.
“They were threatening them, pelting them with eggs and missiles from the gallery."
WATCH NOW: Labour MP demands apology from top Tory as House of Lords hypocrisy row erupts: 'More front than Blackpool!'
Keir Starmer faces fresh attack from leadership rival just hours after PM received '12 month warning'
Sir Keir Starmer leaving No10 on his way to PMQs
|PA
Sir Keir Starmer has been hit with a fresh attack from Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
Mr Burnham, who was accused of jumping the gun by talking up his leadership ambitions at the Labour Party Conference, criticised the Prime Minister's record on homelessness.
He said: “What I am saying is homelessness is fixable – it requires something more radical if you really want to fix it.
“If you go for that ‘housing first’ approach – ‘everyone in’, ‘a bed every night’, those type of approaches – in the end, in my view, you save money.
“And that’s what I would encourage them to do. So I’m not saying they haven’t done lots of good things. They have done lots of really important things. But from here, let’s get into a more radical approach.”
Mr Burnham’s intervention came just hours after Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey warned Sir Keir might only have 12 more months in Downing Street.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Ed asked: “Does the Prime Minister fear if he keeps opposing a customs union, in 12 months' time he will not be standing there?”
Sir Keir replied: “We have got a closer relationship with the EU, through our reset earlier this year. And, yes, I do want a closer relationship to the one we've got at the moment, we are moving towards that.
“We do have manifesto commitments on issues such as single market, customs union and freedom of movement.”
The exchange came after the Prime Minister was rocked by a 13-strong Brexit revolt over a Ten Minute Rule Bill to drag Britain back into the EU’s customs union.
WATCH NOW: Ed Miliband accused of 'leading Britons down the garden path' with net zero policy: 'We can't afford to do it!
Top Tory urges Labour to end 'grotesque' puberty drug experiment
Labour must halt a trial of puberty-blocking drugs on more than 200 children, a top Tory has claimed.
Shadow Equalities Minister Claire Coutinho said: "This is nothing less than the state-sanctioned chemical castration of children.
"And in years to come, it will be seen as one of the darkest acts of this Labour Government."
She added: "Astonishingly children with autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders will not be barred from the trial.
"That means children who may find it hard to express themselves or have cognitive difficulties – children who deserve our love, support and care – will instead be sent on a pathway to sterilisation. This is grotesque."
Ex-Tory MP defects to Reform as Nigel Farage recruits council cutting tsar
Ex-Tory MP Ben Bradley has defected to Reform UK as Nigel Farage's council cutting tsar.
Mr Bradley, who served as a Red Wall MP for Mansfield, will act as head of local government action and pledges to "ensure that communities feel the benefit of voting for Reform".
Following the defection, Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice said: “Ben brings a wealth of experience as a former local authority leader and MP for Mansfield.
"His expertise will help us provide strong leadership and deliver real results for councils across the country.
“In this role, Ben will support our council leaders and regional mayors. He will also work with me on our department of government efficiency – Doge – programme, helping Reform councils save money and improve services.”
'Hostile to Britain!' Reform UK slams Labour after Nigel Farage's party frozen out of House of Lords despite poll lead
Nigel Farage and Zia Yusuf have hit out at the Labour Government after Reform UK were barred from nominating supporters to the House of Lords.
Their protests came as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer proposed 25 new peers to bolster his party's control of the Upper Chamber.
Among those nominated were several Labour allies, including Sir Keir’s former communications head, Matthew Doyle, and Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s chief of staff, Katie Martin, leading to accusations of “cronyism".
Other party leaders were also granted nominations to the Lords, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch putting forward two new peers and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey appointing five.
David Lammy planning to erase childhood criminal records to prevent blighting future job prospects
Justice Secretary David Lammy is examining proposals that would erase childhood criminal records for thousands of individuals across the country.
The Deputy Prime Minister is believed to be eyeing up an overhaul of the existing system to prevent youth convictions from damaging people’s employment opportunities later in life.
Mr Lammy is said to be looking at ways to streamline the process, ensuring background checks remain "proportionate" to the original offence.
"We will consider opportunities to simplify the criminal records regime to ensure it is clear and proportionate, particularly in relation to childhood offences," he said.
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