Sadiq Khan joins backlash over Starmer ‘racism’ jibe at Farage’s immigration plans saying he would not use the ‘loaded word’

Keir Starmer is facing a Labour backlash today over his ‘pathetic’ jibe at Nigel Farage’s immigration plans being ‘racist’.

The PM risked stirring a hornets’ nest yesterday when he used the term to attack Reform’s crackdown on so-called ‘settled status’.

Mr Farage accused Sir Keir of panicking over catastrophic polls showing him on track for No10 – saying it was an ‘insult’ to millions of Brits concerned about immigration.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves doubled down on the ‘racism’ swipe as she toured broadcast studios at Labour’s conference in Liverpool this morning.

However, London mayor Sadiq Khan has voiced concerns, admitting he would not use the ‘really loaded word’ about Reform. 

Meanwhile, ‘Blue Labour’ peer Lord Glasman has branded the slur ‘pathetic’ and ‘stupid’, while the Tories also spoke out against it. 

Nigel Farage clapped back by pointing to polls showing Labour facing meltdown and him on track for No10

Speaking at a Labour conference fringe event, Sir Sadiq said: ‘I don’t call the followers of Reform racist, I don’t call Nigel Farage racist…’

He said he had ‘nervousness’ about use of the word, adding: ‘It’s a really loaded word so I’m very careful when I use it. I’m nervous about people who may follow Reform thinking I am inadvertently calling them racist.’

Referencing the anti-migrant march in London earlier this month he said that while those speaking like Tommy Robinson were from the far Right, many of those marching were ‘decent British people who have concerns’.

Speaking to LBC earlier, Ms Reeves suggested she agreed with Sir Keir’s assessment of the Reform policy, telling the broadcaster: ‘I think it is a racist policy.

‘People support the Reform party for all sorts of reasons, but this policy is a racist policy.’

Pressed on how she thought people could back the policy without being racist, she said: ‘You can support the Reform party and not be racist.’

Asked again whether she thought people could support the policy and not be racist, she said: ‘Do people support that policy?

‘I’m not sure many people do. Lots of people support the Reform party but we have to push them on their policies.’

Lord Glasman told LBC: ‘This whole thing of calling Nigel Farage a racist is quite pathetic. I’ve seen him really try to take issue with genuine racists in his party.

‘You can attack Farage on a whole range of things but calling him a ‘racist’ I really disapprove of that.’

Even Labour MPs have been privately voicing anxiety about Sir Keir’s stance. ‘There is a danger that people hear it and they think he is calling them racist,’ one said.

‘I don’t know that he meant to get into this. But at least he had a bit of passion. We haven’t seen that much, he needs to get the troops going.’

Another senior Labour source said: ‘We needed some more clear dividing lines.’ 

Reform has proposed abolishing ‘indefinite leave to remain’ and making those who currently have the status to remain re-apply under far stricter rules.

Mr Farage argued that the plan would save the UK taxpayer billions of pounds.  

But critics point out that migrants who have lived in the UK for decades and have British children would be affected. Reform has since suggested pensioners, Ukrainians and Hong Kongers would be exempted.

The PM ramped up his rhetoric against Mr Farage’s plan in an interview with the BBC yesterday, saying it ‘needs to be called out for what it is’.

Mr Farage said the claim was an ‘insult’ to millions who want the Government to finally get a grip on immigration.

He told the Daily Mail: ‘The Prime Minister has insulted those who believe mass migration should come to an end. Starmer thinks anybody here on a time-limited visa is entitled to stay in Britain for ever. Labour do not believe in border controls – and think anyone who does is racist.’

Highlighting a series of polls suggesting his party is on course to win the next election, Mr Farage said: ‘Keir Starmer has spent his entire weekend attacking Reform. This is the reason why.’  

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp also accused the PM of ‘smearing people as racist’.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves doubled down on the ‘racism’ swipe as she toured broadcast studios at Labour’s conference in Liverpool this morning

‘Blue Labour’ peer Lord Glasman branded the slur ‘pathetic’ and ‘stupid’, while the Tories also spoke out against it

‘Even yesterday, Keir Starmer was smearing people as racist who wanted to get control of our borders – that tells you a lot about the way Keir Starmer’s mind works’, he told Sky News.

He added: ‘It’s not racist, it’s not racist to want to control our borders – it’s not racist to want to make sure only people who are making a contribution can stay here, it’s completely wrong, completely wrong, for Keir Starmer to use that smear.’

‘And in the past, Keir Starmer wrote a book, or an article, when he was a human rights lawyer, when he said that all immigration law had racist overtones or undertones.’