Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has told the Labour Party conference in Liverpool that Britain faces a “defining choice” between a patriotic Labour party promising national renewal and “division and decline” under Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, whom he called a “snake oil merchant”.
Speaking to activists, Starmer said he was engaged in a “fight of the soul of our country” with Farage, who he claimed “doesn’t like Britain” and “doesn’t believe in Britain”. The Prime Minister argued that voters have “reasonable” concerns about illegal migration but that there is “a moral line” that Farage and others have crossed.
Starmer vowed to “fight” anyone who argues that people who are not white cannot be English or British, or that families who have lived in the UK for generations should be deported, calling them “an enemy of national renewal”. He condemned racist violence and hatred, saying “if you say or imply that people cannot be English or British because of the colour of their skin … mark my words, we will fight you with everything we have”.
The Prime Minister also struck an optimistic tone, saying he does not accept that Britain is broken, citing energy and infrastructure investments and trade deals. This marked a shift from earlier comments after entering office, where he described public services as “broken” and spoke of an “economic black hole” and a “societal black hole”.
Responding to Starmer’s speech, Nigel Farage accused the Prime Minister of calling his immigration policy racist and said it “directly threatens the safety” of Reform UK campaigners, calling it an “absolute disgrace” in the wake of the murder of Charlie Kirk.
