Labour insiders fear Sir Keir Starmer is “fighting a losing battle” against Reform UK in Angela Rayner’s seat with an “urgent” appeal for help being issued to party members.
In a letter sent to party members in Tameside, Labour’s North West regional director Anthony Lavelle warned that Reform’s growing presence presents a “serious challenge to the values we stand for”.
The leaked memo, obtained by The i, said there is a “genuine risk” Mr Farage’s party could obtain more seats in the area.
Tameside has long been under Labour’s control and includes Ms Rayner’s Ashton-under-Lyne constituency, which the ex-Deputy Prime Minister has held since 2015.
The letter read: “We have already seen the chaos they bring. Wherever Reform has taken control, instability has followed — reckless leadership, deep cuts to equality and social care budgets, and proposing the closure of care homes.
“Resignations, suspensions, and expulsions have become routine.”
“I won’t put this lightly — we are fighting a losing battle here, and we urgently need your help,” it added.
National polling has continuously suggested Reform would take home a majority if a General Election was to be held.
Tameside has long been under Labour’s control and includes Angela Rayner’s Ashton-under-Lyne constituency
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GETTY
More in Common’s January MRP, based on polling of more than 16,000 Britons, projects Reform would take 381 seats.
Reform UK is projected to win a majority of 112 over all other parties combined, with their earlier rapid polling gains now seemingly holding steady.
This would see Reform winning 60 per cent of seats on 31 per cent of the vote, rivalling the 2024 General Election as one of the most disproportionate results in modern British history.
However, Sir Keir and the Labour Party’s slump is projected to continue.
Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party’s slump is projected to continue, according to the More in Common poll
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PA
On a local level, Labour ended 2025 with 276 seats fewer than they started.
More in Common projects that, as it stands, Sir Keir’s party would slump to just 85 seats, a loss of 326 seats from their July 2024 landslide.
The report also suggests that the Tories are “stabilising” and while still down on their 2024 count, the result would be better than the previous MRP projection.
While Reform has consistently retained the top spot in the polls, its support has this week dipped to its lowest level since April last year.
Reform’s support has this week dipped to its lowest level since April last year
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YOU GOV
The party’s support plunged to just 24 per cent in YouGov’s latest poll, just four points ahead of the Tories.
Meanwhile, Labour secured third place on 19 per cent, leaving the Liberal Democrats and Green Party on 16 and 14 per cent respectively.
Tory defector Nadine Dorries responded to the polls by suggesting Mr Farage could strike an “accommodation” deal with Kemi Badenoch.
The former Culture Secretary said: “I just don’t see a day when a General Election arrives, and if there isn’t some accommodation between Reform and the Conservative Party, we end up with a Labour Government.
“I don’t think anybody wants that, nobody wants another Labour Government.”
Reform UK, however, insists it is not going to do a deal with the Tories.
A spokesman for the party said: “We cannot be clearer on this.
“There will be no deals with a Conservative Party that unleashed record mass immigration, trashed the economy, and whose leader Kemi Badenoch was right at the centre of every disastrous decision in Government.
“The Tories can never be trusted again.”