Labour leader Keir Starmer has criticized Nigel Farage, labeling him as “utterly spineless” for his failure to denounce a Reform UK councilor’s derogatory remarks about children in care. The Prime Minister also condemned Farage for dismissing the need to condemn the comments, which Starmer deemed “utterly appalling.” During a parliamentary session, Labour MP Darren Paffey highlighted the offensive comments made by Reform UK’s Andy Osborn, who is under investigation for breaching the members’ code of conduct.
Paffey called out the Reform councillor’s description of children in care as “downright evil” and urged the House to join him in condemning the party’s offensive rhetoric. He sought assurance from Starmer that the Labour government would continue to support and protect care leavers. In response, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of supporting every child to reach their potential, particularly care leavers, through legislative measures like the Children’s Wellbeing Bill.
Starmer further lambasted Farage for his inaction in addressing the offensive comments made by his party members. The PM also criticized Reform UK for not taking appropriate action against MP Sarah Pochin following her controversial remarks. Farage faced scrutiny for neglecting to condemn both the derogatory comments about children in care and the racist remarks made by his own party members.
In a previous incident involving Pochin’s comments, Farage expressed dissatisfaction with the remarks but defended her intentions, claiming they were not racially motivated. Pochin later apologized for any offense caused by her statement criticizing advertisements featuring Black and Asian individuals, clarifying that her words were poorly phrased and not meant to offend.