SIR Keir Starmer turned his fire on Nigel Farage last night as Labour braced itself for a local elections pummelling and humiliating by-election defeat.
In a Commons attack on surging Reform UK, the PM accused its leader of being on the side of Russian despot Vladimir Putin.
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He also claimed Reform wants to charge for the NHS and block plans to boost workers’ rights.
Sir Keir said: “Let’s be clear what a vote for his party means.
“It means a pro-Putin foreign policy.”
Both the PM and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch are facing a bruising in 23 English council elections today, with Reform expected to make big gains.
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Labour is also braced to lose the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, triggered by former MP Mike Amesbury’s conviction for punching a constituent.
The polls represent the first ballot-box test of Sir Keir’s Government.
And Mr Farage — seen last week visiting a boxing club in Hull — has vowed to take seats off both Labour and the Tories.
Reform are ahead by two points in the areas going to the polls today, with Labour back in third.
But the PM’s allies insisted he was not running scared — despite keeping a low profile on the campaign trail.
Tories fear their vote could be squeezed by both Reform and the Lib Dems.
Ms Badenoch said at Prime Minister’s Questions that voters faced the choice between “chaos and cover-ups under Labour councils or better services under the Conservatives”.
Sir Keir accused Reform and the Conservatives of forming a “new coalition”.
Last night former Tory No10 maverick Dominic Cummings urged his social media followers to vote Reform to “signal a desire for big change”.
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