'They fawn over Putin, not Britain,' British premier accuses Reform UK of betraying patriotism

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - British premier Keir Starmer on Sunday delivered a sharp critique of Reform UK, accusing the party of undermining workers’ rights and betraying patriotic values.

His comments came shortly following a show of support from US President Donald Trump for Reform UK leader Nigel Farage during the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday. Farage also delivered a speech at the Maryland event.

At the Scottish Labour Conference in Glasgow, Starmer seized the opportunity to highlight the Labour Party’s commitment to workers, contrasting it with Reform UK’s stance on key employment issues.

He noted that Reform UK MPs had voted against important worker protections, including a ban on fire-and-rehire practices and the abolition of exploitative zero-hours contracts.

Starmer also criticized their opposition to proposals for paid sick leave and maternity pay, calling out their inconsistency in supporting working-class communities.

“They talk the language of workers’ rights online and on the doorstep, but when it comes to action, they vote against every proposal that helps working people,” Starmer said.

“And what about the NHS? Reform UK wants to charge people to use our NHS. That’s not patriotism. They fawn over Putin while claiming to stand for Britain. They are not the answer for working people, and they are not the answer for Scotland.”

Reform UK secured five seats in the House of Commons during the last election.

Polling in Scotland suggests the party is on track to win seats in next May’s Holyrood elections.

Roz Foyer, general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, also addressed the conference, calling for the Labour movement to confront the rise of right-wing politics and promote unity against division.

Starmer’s speech also touched on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, drawing from his personal experience of witnessing the war’s impact.

He expressed a strong commitment to supporting Ukraine and underscored the importance of ensuring the long-term security and future of its people. “There can be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine,” he stated. “The people of Ukraine must have a long-term, secure future after everything they have suffered.”

In a move to strengthen Scotland’s industrial future, Starmer also announced a £200 million investment into the Grangemouth oil refinery.

The investment, aimed at creating a new industrial purpose for the site, comes as the refinery is set to close in the summer, resulting in the loss of over 400 jobs.