Reform UK has stormed to a 10-point lead over Labour as a staggering new poll shows Sir Keir Starmer’s Conference speech has massively backfired.
Sir Keir launched several attacks on Mr Farage, describing him as the “enemy” with “racist” policies and even describing the dinghies crossing the Channel full of illegal migrants as “Farage boats”.
But a new poll suggested that the Prime Minister’s scathing tactics appear to have blown up in his face.
The More in Common poll of more than 2,000 people found Reform’s lead over Labour has jumped from three points to 10 in just a week.
Mr Farage’s party leapt two points to 30 per cent, while Labour slumped five points to 20 per cent.
Sir Keir denied he was trying to incite violence against the Reform UK leader, but blamed him for the small boats crisis because of his successful Brexit campaign.
The Prime Minister told GB News: “I would gently point out to Nigel Farage and others that before we left the EU, we had a returns agreement with every country in the EU, and he told the country it would make no difference if we left.
“He was wrong about that. These are Farage boats, in many senses, that are coming across the Channel.”
The Reform UK leader said that “the Prime Minister is inverting the truth” and “is gaslighting the British public and attempting to blame everything on me”.
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Sir Keir Starmer says there is no ‘golden ticket’ to the UK as refugees will have to earn right to stay
Sir Keir Starmer said there will be no “golden ticket” to settling in the UK under plans to require refugees to “earn” their right to stay long term.
The Government has proposed plans to end automatic family union rights for those granted asylum in the UK and change the requirements for long-term settlement in Britain.
The Prime Minister said: “I believe that if you want to come to the UK, you should contribute to our society.
“That is the tolerant and fair approach to migration that our communities are built on, but the current system is not fit for purpose.
“That is why we’re making fundamental changes to what those granted asylum are afforded in the UK.
“Settlement must be earned by contributing to our country, not by paying a people smuggler to cross the Channel in a boat.”
No10 says new digital ID card will not be known as ‘Britcard’ as support plummets
The Government’s new digital identity card will not be known as a “BritCard”, Downing Street has confirmed.
The digital identity card – unveiled last week by Sir Keir Starmer – was immediately dubbed “the BritCard” as that was the name given to the scheme by Labour Together, the left-wing think tank close to No10, in the summer.
The concept of a “BritCard” immediately led to backlash from politicians in devolved UK regions, notably Northern Ireland, where nationalists would have boycotted the scheme if it were known as a “BritCard”.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar confirmed in an interview with GB News’ Chopper’s Political Podcast that the new ID card would not be called the BritCard.
WATCH PART OF THE INTERVIEW ABOVE AND READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Bridget Phillipson says there is ‘real urgency’ to scrap the two-child benefit cap
Bridget Phillipson says there is a ‘real urgency’ to scrap the two-child benefit cap
| PA
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said there is “real urgency” to scrap the two-child benefit cap amid speculation it could be lifted in the upcoming budget.
The Conservatives introduced the two-child limit, which restricts child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in most households.
Campaigners say it pulls more than 100 children into poverty across the UK every day.
Ms Phillipson told the BBC: “There’s a real urgency about this because every year that passes, as children are born, as they move into that system, the numbers go up, child poverty rates increase.
“This was a Tory policy that’s had a devastating impact on children, and we’ll sort it.”