Sir Keir Starmer today suggested Nigel Farage couldn’t be trusted to lead Britain through a pandemic crisis if he were to enter Downing Street.
The Prime Minister stepped up his attacks on Reform UK as he noted how Mr Farage gave a platform to a controversial vaccine sceptic at his party’s recent conference.
In a speech at Reform’s gathering in Birmingham earlier this month, Dr Aseem Malhotra said Covid vaccines could be linked to the King and Princess Kate’s cancer.
Mr Farage was urged to ‘sever all ties’ with the cardiologist, but Reform said – while they did not endorse Dr Malhotra’s remarks – they are believers in ‘free speech’.
Sir Keir referred to the controversy this afternoon as he was quizzed about the threat of Mr Farage’s outfit to his Government, with Reform continuing to hold a lead over Labour in most opinion polls.
In an interview with ITV Calendar, the PM attempted to draw a distinction between his efforts at ‘patriotic national renewal’ and the ‘toxic divide’ of Reform.
‘Let’s just look at the central divide in politics as it now is,’ Sir Keir said.
‘Because it’s between patriotic national renewal under a Labour Government that’s getting down our waiting lists, that’s building the houses we need for the next generation, that’s giving children the best chance in life.’
Sir Keir Starmer today suggested Nigel Farage couldn’t be trusted to lead Britain through a pandemic crisis if he were to enter Downing Street.
The Prime Minister stepped up his attacks on Reform UK as he noted how Mr Farage gave a platform to a controversial vaccine sceptic at his party’s recent conference
In a speech at Reform’s gathering in Birmingham earlier this month, Dr Aseem Malhotra said Covid vaccines could be linked to the King and Princess Kate’s cancer
The PM added: ‘That’s patriotic national renewal, bringing our country together and moving forward together. Or the toxic divide of Reform. The working on the politics of grievance.
In a swipe at Dr Malhotra’s appearance on the stage at Reform’s conference, Sir Keir continued: ‘Reform a party that… only a few weeks ago gave a platform to somebody who linked vaccines to cancer.
‘Imagine if we were in the middle of Covid and Nigel Farage was prime minister and we needed vaccines rolled out, particularly for older people at speed?
‘And at the heart of his party is thinking that that is somehow linked to cancer.’
Sir Keir went on to describe those supporting Reform as ‘decent people’ who ‘want the very best for their country’.
But he contrasted this with Mr Farage who is only ‘interested in the politics of grievance’.
‘We put forward a borders bill, which is to give law enforcement greater powers to stop the small boats,’ the PM aded.
‘He voted against it because he doesn’t want to fix the problem, because if the problem is fixed, he’s got no reason to exist.’
Dr Malhotra made claims about the pharmaceutical industry, politicians and the World Health Organisation during his speech at Reform UK’s conference.
The vaccine-sceptic cardiologist described himself as a friend of controversial US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who has alarmed health experts in America.
Dr Malhotra said he had spoken with Professor Angus Dalgliesh, a leading oncologist, who shared that he believed the vaccines were interfering with genes.
He also claimed hundreds of studies showed the harmful effects of mRNA vaccines.
‘It may be a risk factor for cancer,’ Dr Malhotra said, adding that ‘many other doctors feel the same way’.
‘It’s highly likely that the Covid vaccines have been a factor, a significant factor, in the cancer of members of the Royal Family,’ Dr Malhotra continued, quoting Professor Dalgliesh’s views.
The link between the Covid jab and cancer has previously been dismissed by academics and oncologists after claims it had led to ‘turbo cancers’.
Cancer Research has previously said there is ‘no’ evidence to suggest that any of the Covid-19 vaccines cause cancer.
