Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is poised to deliver a stark warning that the "lamps would go out across Europe once again" should either Reform UK or the Green Party achieve political power. In a scheduled address at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, the Prime Minister will assert that these two parties represent a significant risk to Britain's national security and the broader stability of Europe.
Security Concerns and Political Extremes
During his speech, Sir Keir will urge European nations to reduce their dependence on the United States for defence matters, while simultaneously advocating for the United Kingdom to forge closer ties with the European Union. However, a central theme of his remarks will be a direct critique of Reform and the Greens, whom he will characterise as "the peddlers of easy answers on the extreme left and the extreme right."
He is expected to elaborate, stating: "It's striking that the different ends of the spectrum share so much. Soft on Russia and weak on Nato – if not outright opposed. And determined to sacrifice the longstanding relationships that we want and need to build, on the altar of their ideology. The future they offer is one of division and then capitulation. The lamps would go out across Europe once again. But we will not let that happen."
Party Rebuttals and By-Election Context
In response to the anticipated comments, a spokesman for Reform UK issued a sharp rebuke: "This is a speech from a weak Prime Minister on the verge of being hounded out of office by his own party. This is a man that refuses to find the money to increase defence spending and is making our country weaker and less secure. Reform UK believes our priority should be rebuilding our armed forces, properly funding defence to at least 3.5% of GDP, standing up to China and Russia, and strengthening our bilateral relationships."
Meanwhile, a source from the Green Party told The Times newspaper: "This is a caretaker Prime Minister running scared, losing what's left of his authority by going abroad to a summit on our future security and making cheap smears against the Green Party, because he knows Labour have blown it in Gorton and Denton."
The political context for these exchanges is the upcoming February 26 by-election in Gorton and Denton, Greater Manchester. This contest is viewed as a critical test of public sentiment, occurring as Sir Keir Starmer faces deep unpopularity in opinion polls and his government remains entangled in scandal over former US ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson's connections to the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Both the Green Party and Reform UK are actively campaigning to seize the parliamentary seat from Labour, which secured it in the 2024 general election with a commanding majority exceeding 13,000 votes. The by-election outcome is anticipated to provide significant insight into the shifting political landscape and the challenges confronting the current administration.
