Nigel Farage accuses Keir Starmer of panicking as voters head to the polls
Nigel Farage has accused Sir Keir Starmer of “panicking” as voters go to the polls in a crunch by-election, reports BritPanorama.
The Reform UK leader directed his criticism at the Prime Minister, whose prospects of remaining in Downing Street hinge on this pivotal vote.
As voters began casting their ballots in the Gorton and Denton by-election, the contest is shaping up as a three-way tie between Labour, Reform UK, and the Green Party.
The seat became vacant following Labour’s Andrew Gwynne stepping down after winning the Greater Manchester area by 13,000 votes in the 2024 election.
Mr Farage stated, “The Prime Minister is panicking and knows he has broken his promises to the British people.” His message on election day was direct: “Vote Reform to Ditch Starmer.”
Efforts from all parties are intensifying as supporters are mobilised to maximise turnout. Polling stations opened at 7 am and will remain open until 10 pm tonight.
The results of this closely watched contest will be announced in the early hours, pending any recounts.
Allegations of dirty campaign tactics have surfaced, with Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell claiming the election has been “characterised by misinformation, with dodgy bar charts.”
Moreover, Labour accused the Greens of inciting division in specific areas, particularly within the constituency’s Muslim population. The Greens retaliated by distributing leaflets in Urdu featuring a photograph of Cabinet Minister David Lammy meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a last-minute effort to rally support, Starmer launched an attack on the Green Party, calling them “disgusting” for their policies. He asserted that their proposals would serve to legalise harmful drugs such as heroin and cocaine.
Addressing Parliament, he stated, “The Green Party’s policy isn’t just irresponsible, it’s reprehensible, legalising cocaine, heroin, ketamine and the date rape drug, GHB, a drug which we know is used to spike drinks for women.” He added, “As the father of a 17-and-a-half-year-old son, the idea that the argument is being made by the Greens that when he turns 18, in just a few months, it would be lawful to provide him with heroin and crack cocaine is absolutely disgusting.”
This by-election not only reflects immediate electoral pressures but also continues to highlight the underlying tensions and dynamics within British politics, as parties navigate a complex landscape of voter concerns and policy debates.
