Keir Starmer has said he is “fed up” with the actions of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, arguing that they are helping drive up energy bills for people in Britain. The prime minister made the comments as he wrapped up a tour of Gulf states and, according to the source report, explicitly blamed the US president for the higher costs facing British consumers.
The remarks come against a backdrop of wider political tension at home, with pressure on parties sharpening ahead of upcoming elections. Starmer’s comments were framed as part of his response to the rising cost of energy, an issue that continues to weigh heavily on households.
Farage prepares Reform UK slogan
On the opposition side, Nigel Farage is set to announce Reform UK’s election slogan later in the day. It is reportedly: “Vote Reform. Get Starmer Out.”
Farage set out his thinking in an article for the Daily Mail, where he argued that a poor result for Labour and a strong showing for Reform could put Starmer under intense pressure.
He wrote that after what he predicts will be a “wipe-out” for the Conservatives in the May elections in Scotland and Wales, the Conservatives may struggle even to present themselves as a national party. He also said that if Reform UK wins those elections, Starmer will have to resign, adding that it would only be a matter of time.
Farage said the British public wants Starmer out, and claimed Reform is best placed to defeat Labour and deliver what voters want.
Labour cools on leadership contest
The report also suggests that Labour is moving away from the idea of a leadership contest later this spring. That is likely to disappoint Farage, who has made political capital from the possibility of internal division in the governing party.
Farage dismissed the prospect of a bitter internal battle, saying that “some kind of messy, bloody internal contest” would not help address the issues that matter to voters. He also said he believes party members would look very unfavourably on such a contest.
The remarks point to a political landscape in which energy prices, party unity and electoral momentum are all being used as lines of attack. For Starmer, the immediate focus is on the economic pressures felt by households. For Farage and Reform UK, the message is aimed squarely at turning dissatisfaction into electoral advantage.
The broader context is one of continuing political conflict over who can best respond to public frustration, with the government under pressure to show that it can ease the burden of rising bills while also holding together its own ranks.
