Reform UK MPs have bullishly responded to claims Labour will ramp up its anti-Farage attacks amid a growing threat from the insurgent party.
The Sun reported that Labour is about to divert attention away from the Tories and towards Reform UK after a poll suggested Nigel Farage’s party threatens to take more Labour seats than Tory.
Labour Together, a think-tank with close links to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, is now being turned into an anti-Farage campaign machine and will work with Downing Street to neutralise the Reform threat.
Jonathan Ashworth, the former shadow cabinet minister now heading up Labour Together, told The Sun: “Nigel Farage screeches like a banshee when put under scrutiny. 2025 is the year when we shine the torch on him.
“He’s called for charges in the NHS and our polling at Labour Together show this to be his Achilles heel.
“While the Tories continue to slump, Labour Together is turning its firepower to helping Labour candidates take on and ultimately defeat Reform.”
Last week, Wes Streeting began the public assault on Reform, telling a conference Mr Farage is a threat to the NHS.
The Health Secretary warned: “I can’t think of a more potent antidote to Farage’s miserabilism than proving the cynics wrong and getting the NHS delivering world-class care. We can defeat Farage by turning around the NHS.
“The populist Right are coming for us. We need to be serious about beating them.”
Labour’s attacks will largely be focused on the party’s policy on NHS reform after Mr Farage cited France’s private insurance system as a better model.
Reform UK insists its policy would not change free at-the-point-of-use healthcare delivery in Britain but would involve more private sector involvement in the NHS.
In response to the briefings, Reform UK MPs and its chairman have boldly told Labour: “Bring it.”
MP James McMurdock agreed with chairman Zia Yusuf, adding: “Bring it on.”
Ashfield MP Lee Anderson said: “Note to Labour: We’re waiting for you.”
Nigel Farage dismissed Labour’s new “stop Reform” strategy as ridiculous, warning: “If the Labour Party want to give me free publicity, I look forward to it with relish.”
On Sunday, a new poll from anti-Reform campaign group Hope Not Hate warned that Mr Farage is on course to win dozens of seats from Labour – many more than from the Conservatives.
The poll suggests Reform is on course to win 76 seats if an election were held now, though other polls this week suggest his party is set to win many dozens more than this.
Of these 76, 60 would be won from Labour in its Red Wall heartlands, as well as in Wales.
It warns Labour that just a tiny swing more to Reform would be enough to win another 76 Labour-held seats.
This week was the first week in which every poll saw Reform ahead of the Conservatives.
