Keir Starmer Says Nigel Farage Is Trying To 'Poison Our Politics'

PM Keir Starmer has accused Nigel Farage of trying to "poison our politics" with his latest attack on Anas SarwarKeir Starmer accused Nigel Farage of trying to “poison our politics” as he launched another bitter attack on the Reform UK leader.The prime minister took aim at the Clacton MP over a “racist” online advert targeting Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.Labour are locked in a three-way battle with both Reform and the SNP ahead of a Scottish Parliament by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse next week.A Reform campaign video accused Sarwar of “prioritising the Pakistani community” in Scotland.It compiles footage of several speeches from Sarwar, who was born in Glasgow to Pakistani Muslim parents, talking about improving political representation for South Asian communities.Sarwar does not actually use the word “prioritise” in any of the clips.The Scottish Labour leader called the ad “poisonous” while the SNP described it as “racist”.But Farage has defended the ad, and doubled down by saying Sarwar had “introduced sectarianism into Scottish politics”.Asked about the row this morning, Starmer said: “It is, as ever with Reform and Farage, trying to divide people with a toxic divide and poison our politics.“I think our politics is above that and that’s why I think it’s absolutely right Anas Sarwar has called it out for what it is. It is introducing poison into our politics.“That’s exactly what turns people off politics and that is why restoring trust to politics is so important to my project and the project of Scottish Labour.”A Reform UK Scotland spokesman previously defended the ad, telling HuffPost UK: “Reform UK has advertised Anas Sarwar’s own words, if he doesn’t like them, he shouldn’t use them.“We know Scottish Labour is ashamed of Keir Starmer’s rhetoric, but it appears now they’re also trying to hide from Anas Sarwar’s record – we’ll be happy in helping them by highlighting his record at every turn.”Starmer was speaking after he held a press conference just to attack Farage.He accused the Reform UK leader of running a “mad experiment” with his unfunded spending plans, which would ruin economy just like Liz Truss did. Reform UK currently has an eight-point lead over Labour in the polls, despite only having five MPs.Farage has also started courting left-leaning voters by promising to undo Starmer’s most unpopular welfare policies – the two-child benefit cap and the decision to axe the winter fuel payments for 10 million pensioners.Related...Anas Sarwar Targets SNP Voters As Poll Shows Labour Has Closed GapReform UK MP Left Squirming Over Party's 'Racist' By-Election AdvertReform UK Accused Of 'Blatant Racism' Against Scottish Labour Leader In By-Election Ad

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