The under pressure Labour leader lashed out at Nigel Farage’s party (Image: Getty)
Rattled Keir Starmer has accused Reform UK of stoking “toxic division” as pressure intensifies on his wobbling leadership.
The under pressure Labour leader lashed out just hours after Nigel Farage’s party unleashed its latest election hopeful.
The Prime Minister accused the right-wing insurgent party of “tearing people apart”.
His outburst came as academic turned activist Matt Goodwin was unveiled as their candidate to stand in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
Next month’s contest was triggered by the resignation of disgraced Labour MP Andrew Gwynne.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham had hoped to stand to be the constituency’s MP but was blocked by Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee, a move that has angered a number of MPs.
If Mr Burnham had been successful in a by-election it could have paved the way for him to challenge Sir Keir for the Labour leadership.
Around 50 Labour MPs have signed a letter urging the NEC to reconsider its decision.
Read more: Reform unveils by-election candidate as ‘a referendum on Keir Starmer’
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Sir Keir’s position has come under increasing pressure over his government’s persistent u-turns.
Speaking to journalists en-route to China, the Prime Minister insisted that Labour is the only party that can defeat Reform UK in the by-election.
He told reporters: “There’s only one party to stop Reform and that’s the Labour party and we can already see what the by-election is going to be about which is Labour values which are about delivering on the cost of living with a strong record actually in that constituency of what we’ve already done versus Reform.”
Turning his sights on Mr Farage’s party, who are leading all national polls, he added: “You can see from their candidate what politics they’re going to bring to that constituency, the politics of division, of toxic division, of tearing people apart.
“That’s not what that constituency is about, it’s not what Manchester is about so this is a straight fight between Labour and Reform and there’s only one party that can stop the politics of Reform in the by-election and that’s the Labour Party.”
It comes as Angela Rayner reportedly said Labour’s leadership should “do better”.
The former deputy prime minister also insisted she is “not dead yet”, signalling a possible return to frontline politics in the near future.
Ms Rayner, who resigned as deputy PM and housing secretary in September after it emerged she did not pay enough stamp duty on an £800,000 flat in Hove, made the remarks at a private fundraising dinner.
The Express understands her comments were made at an event which took place last week.
The former Cabinet minister said she wanted to help Labour do battle with Reform, and in a signal she hopes to return to frontline politics, added: “And I’m still fighting. I’m not dead yet.”
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Some 80 MPs are prepared to back Ms Rayner in a leadership contest, should one occur after May’s elections.
At the 2024 general election, Labour won Gorton and Denton with a 13,000 majority. Reform UK came second with 5,000 votes, narrowly beating the Green Party into third.
Meanwhile, George Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain has also announced its candidate as Manchester councillor Shabaz Sarwar.
Other parties are yet to announce their candidates for the by-election, which is expected to take place on 26 February.
Mr Goodwin, a GB News presenter, said the by-election was “a referendum on Keir Starmer“.
“It’s a chance for hard-working, law-abiding, taxpaying people from this seat to have their say on Keir Starmer and to make political history,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir has refuted suggestions that Andy Burnham told in advance that he wouldn’t be accepted as the candidate for Gorton and Denton.
He said: “No he wasn’t, he wasn’t.
“I know who was talking to Andy on Saturday, and that wasn’t said. That’s Andy’s position as well. I actually spoke to Andy yesterday, and he’s been in touch with him again today, I don’t know where that came from.”
Asked if he would welcome Mr Burnham back into parliament when his term as Mayor ends, he added: “As to what he wants to do when he’s not Mayor of Manchester anymore, that’s a matter for Andy, but he’s doing a first class job.”
