Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has delivered a blistering condemnation of Nigel Farage, labelling his recent comments on the war in Ukraine as "disgraceful" and a dangerous echo of the Kremlin’s own propaganda.
The fiery clash erupted after Farage, the honorary president of Reform UK, claimed in a BBC interview that the West had "provoked" Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine by expanding NATO eastwards. The remarks sent shockwaves through Westminster and were swiftly disavowed by Reform leader Richard Tice.
Starmer, speaking with palpable anger on the campaign trail, did not mince his words. He accused Farage of parroting Putin’s talking points and undermining the brave defence put up by the Ukrainian people.
“It is disgraceful for anybody to suggest that the invasion of Ukraine by Russia was somehow provoked,” the Labour leader stated. “To say that is to echo the propaganda that we’ve heard from the Kremlin.”
He emphasised the devastating human cost of the conflict, adding: “This was an invasion of a sovereign nation. It’s an invasion that is against international law. It has seen thousands of people, civilians, lose their lives, and we must stand up against it.”
The row threatens to dominate the final days of the general election campaign, forcing other political leaders to take a side. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also condemned Farage’s assertion as "completely wrong" and a betrayal of the Ukrainian people’s struggle.
This public fracturing within Reform UK presents a significant challenge for the party, which has been polling strongly and threatening to siphon votes from the Conservatives. Farage’s controversial stance, at odds with his own party’s leadership, risks alienating potential supporters and has handed his political opponents a powerful weapon in the final stretch before polling day.
