Liz Truss has slammed Sir Keir Starmer after he compared Nigel Farage to the former Conservative Prime Minister.
In a speech attacking the Reform leader, Starmer accused the Reform UK leader of "fantasy" economics and promising unfunded tax cuts.
Speaking earlier today, the Prime Minister said: "In opposition we said [Liz Truss] would crash the economy and leave you to pick up the bill...We were right. And we were elected to fix that mess.
"Now in government, we are once again fighting the same fantasy – this time from Farage."
Drawing a comparison between Farage and Truss, the Prime Minister said the Reform UK leader would "[use] your family finances, your mortgage, your bills as a gambling chip on his mad experiment", adding: "The result will be the same."
Responding to Starmer's claims, Liz Truss, who was Prime Minister for 45 days, said on social media: "He has TDS. Truss Derangement Syndrome."
A spokesman for Reform dismissed the Prime Minister's comments as a "desperate attack" from a party "behind in the polls."
Swinney warns of ‘critical economic threat’ of UK Government immigration policy
The UK Government’s immigration stance poses a "critical economic threat" to Scotland, First Minister John Swinney has said.
Speaking at a conference on Thursday, the First Minister again voiced his opposition to Starmer's White Paper plans, warning of the impact on Scotland’s ageing population of a reduction in immigration.
He said: "I am profoundly concerned by the direction of travel that is being taken on migration.
"I made this point to the Prime Minister when I met him on Friday, that the changing dynamics of our labour market and the need for us to encourage migration to support our working age population has to be recognised in the approach that is taken to migration in the United Kingdom."
WATCH: Labour councillor's call to 'scrap shirt and tie' through fear of 'offence' branded 'nonsense'
A Labour Party councillor has been blasted by Reform UK's Oliver Freeston after calling to "revise" their council's shirt and tie dress code.
The councillor sparked controversy after urging North Lincolnshire Council to revise it's dress code for public meetings, arguing that requiring a shirt and tie could be "offensive" to certain ethnic and religious groups.
'Panic stations at Labour!' Reform UK blasts Keir Starmer's 'extraordinary' attack on Nigel Farage
Zia Yusuf hits back at Keir Starmer after speech slamming Nigel Farage: 'Absolutely staggering!'Labour is at "panic stations" over Nigel Farage, Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf has said following Sir Keir Starmer's "extraordinary" address.
"What an extraordinary press conference. It's obviously panic stations at Labour," Yusuf jabbed.
“Keir Starmer is panicking because his awful Government is now trailing Reform by a staggering eight points in the latest YouGov poll.
"We talk about economic credibility... this Government, in their manifesto last June, promised £10billion of increased spending.
"In their actual Budget three months later they increased spending by £60billion and on their magic money tree found another £30billion to give away sovereign territory in the form of the Chagos Islands.”
"When it comes to foreign citizens, when it comes to splurging money like a drunken sailor on things that have no value to British people's lives, there's infinite money," he added.
"The fact is, when it comes to British people, we're always told by the two old parties there's no money left. When Nigel's the Prime Minister, that changes."
Liberal Democrats demand Keir Starmer to summon US ambassador over Trump tariff chaos
The Liberal Democrats have demanded Labour to summon the US ambassador Warren Stephens over the news the US Court of International Trade has blocked many of Donald Trump's tariffs.
Party leader Sir Ed Davey said: "The Government must urgently summon the US ambassador to clarify what this court ruling means for Starmer’s recent deal with Donald Trump.
"The levels of chaos from Trump’s economic policy is putting Liz Truss to shame."
WATCH: Tory MP grilled as damning Red Wall polling puts Kemi Badenoch behind Jeremy Corbyn
Shadow Work & Pensions Secretary Helen Whately has been grilled about whether the Conservative Party is finished after damning new polling showed the Tories in third in the Red Wall.
Responding to exclusive GB News polling showing the party trailing in third place with just 22 per cent support, Whately admitted voters were "not happy, and were frustrated with some of the things that happened towards the tail end of our time in Government."
The polling, conducted by Merlin Strategy, also revealed Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has established a seven-point lead over Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer among Red Wall voters.
Tories demand Keir Starmer RETRACTS 'offensive and ill-judged' Chagos claims - READ IN FULL
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge has written to the Prime Minister demanding he retracts his "offensive and ill-judged" claims that China opposed Labour's Chagos handover deal, Guido Fawkes reports.
His letter reads:
"I am writing to request a formal apology following your recent statement that somehow those of us opposed to your Chagos deal are on the side of Russia, China and Iran - a deeply offensive and ill-judged claim that was repeated and defended in the Commons, and in the media, by the Defence Secretary and Minister for the Armed Forces.
"In your press conference announcing confirmation of the UK/Mauritius Chagos Treaty on May 22, 2025, you said: 'In favour are all of our allies: the US, Nato, Five Eyes, India. Against it: Russia, China, Iran and, surprisingly, the leader of the opposition and Nigel Farage are in that column alongside Russia, China and Iran, rather than the column that has the UK and its allies in it.'
"On the contrary, and as you will no doubt be aware, today it was widely reported that China - through its diplomats in Port Louis - has offered 'massive congratulations' to Mauritius on the deal, stating that China 'fully supports' Mauritius in its 'quest to safeguard national sovereignty'.
"On Russia, it was a Conservative Government that stood by Ukraine even before Putin’s full-scale illegal invasion in February 2022, and let me be clear that in Opposition, we will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our European allies against Russian aggression.
"Your suggestion that HM Opposition is somehow siding with China has now been proven to be factually inaccurate as they support your deal - but when we have supported you so strongly on Ukraine, and backed your military action against Iranian-backed Houthis, to be accused effectively of siding with China, Russia and Iran is totally unacceptable.
"I look forward to your apology."
GB News has approached the Foreign Office for comment.
Kemi Badenoch finally breaks silence on Keir Starmer's anti-Reform speech
Kemi Badenoch has said Sir Keir Starmer slating Nigel Farage for "crashing the economy" is like "the pot calling the kettle black".
The Tory leader said: "Businesses are closing, unemployment and inflation are rising, yet Starmer wants to increase the benefits bill... and Farage agrees!
"Only the Conservatives are serious about sound money."
Priti Patel pours scorn on Keir Starmer's Chagos 'surrender' in brutal jab
Mauritius's Chinese ambassador had sent 'massive' congratulations to the Indian Ocean nation
X/PRITIPATEL
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel has poured scorn on Sir Keir Starmer's Chagos "surrender" in a brutal social media jab.
Patel shared the image above with the caption: "The Prime Minister of Mauritius and Chinese Ambassador compare notes on humiliating Britain's Labour Government. When Labour negotiates, Britain loses."
She was referencing the revelation that Mauritius's Chinese ambassador had sent "massive" congratulations to the Indian Ocean nation - which was dubbed a "close friend" to Beijing.
READ THE FULL STORY ON CHINA'S WARM MESSAGE TO MAURITIUS HERE
Reform UK hails press pile-on against Keir Starmer as PM left 'humiliated'
Reform UK has hailed a press pile-on against Sir Keir Starmer in the wake of his press conference today.
The party has lauded how questions from media outlets have "humiliated", "destroyed" and "annihiliated" the Prime Minister after his post-speech grilling.
Starmer was asked by the BBC: "Is today's speech an admission of your popularity failure, and Nigel Farage is soaring?"
Sky News asked him: "Are you running scared of Reform?"
LBC asked: "Why are you holding a press conference about Nigel Farage four years from an election?"
GB News' Christopher Hope questioned: "Are you panicking? Is Farage living rent-free in your brain?"
And ITV probed: "Do you view Nigel Farage as your main opponent?"
Keir Starmer's 'working people' claim slapped down by Rupert Lowe as horror day for PM continues
Sir Keir Starmer's claim that "working people" have gained "more money in their pockets" since Labour came to power has been slapped down by Rupert Lowe in a brutal rebuke.
"Labour's plan for change has stabilised the economy, putting more money in the pockets of working people," the Prime Minister said.
Lowe then jabbed: "The working people of Mauritius are eternally grateful."
Mauritius is set to receive a total of £30billion in British taxpayer cash to lease the joint UK-US base on the Chagos Islands - more than double its annual GDP.
RECAP: Keir Starmer rails against Nigel Farage as PM attempts to attack Reform
Sir Keir Starmer has warned Britons against voting for Nigel Farage following days of damning polling for Labour in a furious anti-Reform attack speech.
The Prime Minister, in a bitter bite-back to Farage's landmark policy proposals on Tuesday, is campaigning against Reform UK's so-called "Liz Truss-style" economic plans in an address which the party has already branded "desperate".
"In opposition, we said Liz Truss would crash the economy and leave you to pick up the bill. We were right," Starmer said.
"We were elected to fix that mess. Now in Government, we are once again fighting the same fantasy - this time from Nigel Farage.
"Just like Truss, [Farage] is using your family finances, your mortgage, your bills as a gambling chip.
"Liz Truss bet the house and lost. £45billion in unfunded tax cuts, with no means to pay for them. Markets reacted, the economy tanked and we're all still paying the price for mortgages, rents and bills that spiralled out of control. I won't let that happen."
Starmer's pledge to keep Reform away from Downing Street comes more than four years ahead of the next General Election, but fewer than two days after the party was found to sit seven percentage points clear of Labour in the Red Wall.
Data from Merlin Strategy, exclusively shared with GB News, has condemned the party of Government to a distant second place in its traditional heartlands, which is where Farage has challenged Starmer to a head-to-head debate in a working men's club.
'Keir Starmer's "Project Fear 2.0" means Labour need to be VERY careful' - ex-No10 adviser
Labour was warned against going down a 'scaremongering' route two months ago
GETTY
JL Partners co-founder James Johnson, speaking to GB News nearly two months ago, warned Labour against going down a "scaremongering" route as voters wouldn't be convinced.
"Voters have become very perceptive and aware of things that just don’t ring true and Project Fear prompted that concern," ex-No10 adviser Johnson said.
"A lot of Labour voters targeted by Farage would have been Leave voters and will know what those two words mean and therefore they will be wary, especially in a world where they get lots of information from lots of different sources, of the veracity of some of those claims.
"It's a sound strategy but because of Labour's existing problems with voters, particularly on immigration, and general concerns about how true these claims might be, I slightly doubt its efficacy."
Nigel Farage hits back at Keir Starmer's 'dirty tricks' - 'It's Project Fear 2.0!'
Nigel Farage has responded in kind to Sir Keir Starmer's attack on Reform UK
PA
Nigel Farage has responded in kind to Sir Keir Starmer's "dirty" attack on Reform UK.
"The Prime Minister is resorting to dirty tricks borrowed from the 2016 referendum campaign to attack me," the Brexit heavyweight vowed. "This is Project Fear 2.0."
Farage had been referring to the Remain campaign's attacks on his own ultimately successful Leave drive.
And today, Starmer accused the Reform leader of "manipulation", saying he was introducing a "toxic divide and poisoning our politics".
Keir Starmer denies 'running scared' of Nigel Farage
Sir Keir Starmer has denied "running scared" of Nigel Farage and Reform UK, opting to attack his "unfunded" spending plans instead.
After rejecting the initial question, the Prime Minister said: "Let me be really clear about the difference between this Labour Government and Reform, because we know for a fact what happens when politicians say they are going to spend billions and billions of pounds and it is unfunded.
"We tried that experiment with Liz Truss. That is precisely what she did. And it wasn't Liz Truss that paid the price, it was the millions of working people who paid the price for that experiment."
'I don't need lectures from Nigel Farage!' Keir Starmer visibly angry as PM attempts to attack Reform
Keir Starmer appeared visibly angry at his anti-Reform address today as he railed against Nigel Farage's popularity among working people.
Starmer, asked whether Farage was "living rent-free in your brain" by Christopher Hope, said: "I don't need lectures from Farage on what is means to be a working person.
"I know what it means to work in a factory... my father did it every single day."
The Prime Minister was repeatedly probed on why he was campaigning against Reform four years before the next General Election - but refused to answer questions, instead opting to talk up Labour's trade deals with the US and India.
Keir Starmer: 'We won't let Nigel Farage blow up the economy'
Sir Keir Starmer has claimed that Labour will not let Nigel Farage "blow up the economy" again after attacking him for setting out "billions upon billions of completely unfunded spending".
The Prime Minister said: "Precisely the sort of irresponsible splurge that sent your mortgage costs, your bills and the cost of living through the roof. It is Liz Truss all over again."
He added that Reform UK's plans for the economy would be a "mad experiment".
The PM is now taking questions from the media - and GB News' Christopher Hope is in the building...
PM praises glass industry - before rapid pivot to attacking Nigel Farage
The Prime Minister has begun his speech at Glass Futures by praising the glass industry - and hailing its importance to other key UK industries like whisky.
But after just a few seconds of speaking, Sir Keir Starmer has switched to attacking the "untrustworthy" Nigel Farage.
"It's Liz Truss all over again," Starmer spat - making good on the preview of his speech earlier today.
Keir Starmer to speak in the North West shortly - follow live
PICTURED: Industry workers watch on ahead of Keir Starmer's speech
POOL
Sir Keir Starmer will shortly make his anti-Reform attack speech in the North West.
The Prime Minister is expected to campaign against Nigel Farage's so-called "Liz Truss-style" economic plans in an address which Reform has already branded "desperate".
You'll be able to watch Starmer's speech on the live stream above, and we'll bring you the top lines on our live blog here.
Liz Truss issues brutal slap-down to Keir Starmer's 'Trussonomics' attack on Nigel Farage - 'LIES!'
Liz Truss has spoken out for the first time today on Sir Keir Starmer's 'Trussonomics' attack against Nigel Farage
PA
Liz Truss has spoken out for the first time today on Sir Keir Starmer's "Trussonomics" attack against Nigel Farage.
Starmer is set to invoke her October 2022 mini-Budget in a bid to tempt Red Wall voters away from Reform UK today - but Truss herself has now accused the PM of "repeating lies".
"Repeating lies is not going to fix the economy," she spat.
"Gilt rates are now higher than when I was in office.
"Britain is headed for a real economic crisis - not the confected crisis that the establishment used to sabotage my policies."
Christopher Hope: 'Why is the Prime Minister so worried about Nigel Farage?'
GB News' Political Editor Christopher Hope writes: "Just last month, Nigel Farage refused to confirm three times that he wants to be Prime Minister, telling me: 'You fundamentally misunderstand me.'
"Farage has only got five MPs; Sir Keir Starmer has 403 MPs. So why is the PM so worried about him?"
READ THE FULL STORY ON NIGEL FARAGE'S SIT-DOWN WITH CHOPPER HERE
'You'd have laughed me out of the studio if I did that!' Labour minister pours scorn on Nigel Farage's tax plans as Keir Starmer prepares to attack Reform UK
Defra Minister Emma Hardy has poured scorn on Nigel Farage's tax plans ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's anti-Reform speech in the North West today.
Speaking to GB News, the Labour minister claimed she heard "even more Truss than Liz Truss" coming Farage, adding: "When something sounds too good to be true, it's because it is too good to be true.
"If he wants to be taken seriously as a political party, then he needs to come up with some serious policies and he needs to be held to account.
"Had I come on your programme and said: 'Do you know what? I'm just announcing £80billion of tax promises,' the first thing you'd have said to me is 'I don't believe you'.
"The second thing you'd have done is laughed me out of the studio - because we need to be credible in the policies that we announce, and that's what we should be seeing from every single political party."
WATCH IN FULL: Defra Minister Emma Hardy speaks to GB News Breakfast
WATCH IN FULL: Shadow Housing Secretary Kevin Hollinrake speaks to GB News Breakfast
Tories claim Red Wall has 'lost interest in Labour' - but party sits in THIRD PLACE in industrial heartland
Tory frontbencher Kevin Hollinrake has warned that the Red Wall has "lost interest" in Labour - despite his party sitting in third place among industrial heartland voters.
"Working-class voters have completely lost faith in Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves and others, not least because of the disgraceful stripping away of the winter fuel allowance," he blasted.
"The public's lost interest in Labour. I mean, I don't think they were ever popular at the despatch box."
But he also issued a bullish message to his party, telling Sky News: "We were just unpopular and we've got a big job to do on that particular score, but I believe we can do it."
'You're bang to rights!' Robert Jenrick confronts fare-dodgers in Sadiq Khan's London in extraordinary video
Robert Jenrick has confronted fare dodgers on the London Underground in an extraordinary new video
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Robert Jenrick has confronted fare dodgers on the London Underground in an extraordinary new video from Sadiq Khan's London.
The Shadow Justice Secretary accused the Mayor of "driving a proud city into the ground" and vowed: "He's not acting. So, I did."
In the clip, Jenrick can be seen asking "bumpers" or fare-dodgers: "Do you think it's alright not to pay? Seriously, why don't you go back through the barriers and pay? Do you want to go back and pay like everybody else?"
The Tory frontbencher is then told to "f**k off" - before the dodger adds: "I'm warning you now, move!"
"Nearly 1 in 25 people using London's public transport aren't paying for it... It's just annoying watching so many people break the law and get away with it," Jenrick fumes.
"It's the same with bike theft, phone theft, tool theft, shoplifting, drugs in town centres, weird Turkish barber shops. It's all chipping away at society. The state needs to reassert itself and go after lawbreakers."
'We MUST be winning!' Nigel Farage issues defiant message to cross-party critics as meltdowns erupt on all sides
Nigel Farage has issued a defiant message to his critics of all political persuasions after Reform UK fended off attacks from Labour, the Tories and SNP.
"In the last 24 hours I have been attacked by Starmer, Badenoch, Swinney, Sarwar and just about everybody else - except for the voters. We must be winning," the Reform leader vowed.
Gary Lineker joins celebrity elite in ultra-woke Israel letter to Keir Starmer - just days after 'antisemitic' rat post
Gary Lineker and legions of other celebrities have signed an ultra-woke open letter to Sir Keir Starmer demanding Britain suspends arms sales to Israel - just days after he was booted from the BBC for an "antisemitic" post about Zionism.
"We need action from Keir Starmer now," the letter demands. "That means stopping arms sales, making sure that legitimate humanitarian organisations can reach people in Gaza. It means doing everything possible to make these horrors end."
Ministers have already suspended licences for some arms sales to Israel, but activists have demanded that Labour goes even further, imposing a total ban - including on parts for the F-35 jet.
But Labour has said halting the export of spare F-35 parts is not possible as the UK is part of a global supply network and cannot control where those parts end up.
GRAPHED: Reform UK's Red Wall surge as Keir Starmer campaigns in the North West
GB NEWS
Kevin Hollinrake and Emma Hardy to speak to GB News - follow live
Shadow Housing Secretary Kevin Hollinrake and Defra Minister Emma Hardy will be speaking to GB News over the next hour.
Hollinrake is set to appear on the People's Channel at around 8am, with Hardy slated for shortly after 9am.
You can watch their grillings at the hands of Stephen Dixon and Ellie Costello live HERE - and we'll bring you their interviews in full on this live blog shortly afterwards.
Labour to splash £1BILLION on 'army of hackers' in bid to counter Vladimir Putin
The British Army is set to splurge £1billion on AI in what's been dubbed an "army of hackers" in a bid to counter Vladimir Putin's Russia.
Defence Secretary John Healey is planning to set up a "cyber command" to counter a "continual and intensifying" level of Russian e-warfare.
Healey has said Labour will commit a further £1billion into a new "digital targeting web", set to launch by 2027 - and has warned that "the keyboard has become a weapon of war"...
As Keir Starmer attacks Reform... Nigel Farage's party storms into SEVEN-point lead over Labour in Red Wall
Polling exclusively shared with GB News has revealed that 34 per cent of voters in England's traditional industrial heartlands would vote for Nigel Farage's party
GETTY/PA
Keir Starmer's trip north today comes just after Reform was found to sit seven percentage points clear of Labour among Red Wall voters.
Merlin Strategy polling exclusively shared with GB News has revealed that 34 per cent of voters in England's traditional industrial heartlands would vote for Nigel Farage's party - with Labour on just 27 per cent.
On a personal level, Farage ranks five percentage points ahead of Starmer among voters' preferences for Prime Minister - with the pair ranking leagues ahead of Boris Johnson (12 per cent) and Jeremy Corbyn (nine per cent).
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