Farage is like a tribune for the working class, says former Bank of England economist

According to Haldane, a ‘sterile injection of optimism, money, and power’ is needed in communities where voters feel left behind. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

Nigel Farage is the closest to a “tribune for the working class”, the former Bank of England chief economist has said, in a stark warning for Keir Starmer’s Labour party.

Andy Haldane said the surge in support for Reform UK in the opinion polls suggested there had been “something of a moral rupture” between the government and many voters, which he said should spur Starmer to take action with a “radical reset” of its growth plans.