The Prime Minister told the Scottish Labour Conference that Reform UK is “not the answer for working people in Britain” and warned against the party’s growing influence. Sir Keir Starmer, Labour leader, branded Reform UK as “dangerous” and dismissed its policies as ineffective for Scotland and the wider UK.
Alex Wilson, Leader of Reform UK in the London Assembly, responded to Starmer’s comments by claiming that Labour has “every reason” to be concerned about Reform UK’s surge in popularity. Speaking to GB News, Wilson cited recent polling that places Reform UK ahead of the Conservatives and close to Labour in terms of membership and public support.
Wilson stated, “Labour are rattled, and they have every reason to be. You can see in the polling numbers we are now averaging over 25 per cent in the polls. Four separate polling companies have put us in first place ahead of the Conservatives, ahead of Labour, and our membership has been surging off the scale.”
Wilson highlighted Reform UK’s milestones, including overtaking Conservative membership numbers and gaining seats in council by-elections. He noted, “On Boxing Day, we were watching the ticker to see if we’d overtake the Conservative membership—we left that far behind. Now we’re less than 100,000 behind Labour, and soon we’ll be the biggest mass membership organisation in this country.”
Wilson also pointed to Reform UK’s success in council by-elections, claiming that of the 11 seats they have gained, seven were previously held by Labour. He argued that this demonstrates Reform UK’s growing appeal among voters disillusioned with both major parties.
Wilson criticized Labour’s approach to illegal migration, describing their efforts as a “drop in the ocean.” He said, “They have deported 19,000 illegal migrants, but the fact that they’re able to trumpet this as a great success shows how bad the Conservatives were at doing the job before them.”
He added that neither Labour nor the Conservatives are prepared to address the root of the migration crisis, stating, “We still have thousands and thousands coming across the Channel on those boats. Neither main party is prepared to grasp the nettle and realise that in order to deal with this problem, you need to make it clear that nobody who arrives here illegally will be allowed to stay.”
Wilson concluded by emphasizing Reform UK’s commitment to prioritizing British interests, even if it means challenging international treaties. He said, “We’re the only party that’s got the balls to say we need to make those decisions. The British Government needs to be able to make decisions in the interest of British people first.”
