Starmer’s Farage-focused local elections launch shows he knows Reform is the real threat to Labour

Having vanquished the Tories last July, Keir Starmer is now focused on the party that looks set to threaten Labour’s chances next time round - (PA Wire)

There were two insurgent right-wing populists looming over Sir Keir Starmer’s local election launch on Thursday.

Donald Trump, because the US president’s “Liberation Day” tariffs threaten to blow the PM’s “plan for change” out of the water. And Nigel Farage, who Sir Keir fears will snap up hundreds of local council seats in Reform UK’s first major test since the general election.