𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Nigel Farage predicted that Sir Keir Starmer will be ousted by the end of next month if Labour faces a local elections bloodbath. The Reform UK leader said his party is on course for a bigger victory in the Red Wall at the May ballots than Boris Johnson in the 2019 general election when Labour’s traditional northern heartlands fell to the Tories.

He also highlighted how Reform is vying with Plaid Cymru for first place in Wales, where Labour is set to be ousted for the first time in history, while his insurgent party could come second in Scotland. Speaking at a Reform rally in Barnsley, Mr Farage said: “What Reform is about to do in the old Labour heartlands, let me promise you, this time it’s for real and Labour know it.

He added: “I think if Labour get obliterated in the Red Wall, in South Wales and in Scotland then he’ll be gone by the end of May.”

Mr Farage warned of economic chaos if Angela Rayner succeeds Sir Keir in No 10 and Labour lurches leftwards, which he admitted could help his insurgent party.

Asked about the Labour firebrand, the Clacton MP said: “Whatever people think of Angela Rayner there’s something at least that’s real about her.

“I just think her politics is just way out left and one of the most distressing things is the number of very bright young people leaving the country, we’re losing a great deal of talent.

“So even if Rayner is more real I think the economic damage of a Rayner premiership would probably in the long term help us enormously.”

Mr Farage also accused the Prime Minister of “riding roughshod over normal procedure” amid the furore over the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson to the plum US ambassador role.

He added: “He’ll sack everybody around him, even if he’s the last man standing. He’ll never, ever take responsibility himself for anything that he’s done.”

It comes as Reform UK is expected to make major gains at the local elections on May 7.

Thousands of English council seats are up for grabs, while voters will also take to the polls for the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments.

Mr Farage described the crunch ballots as “the most significant set of elections that will happen between now and the next general election whenever that may be”.

He added: “Many think this government will survive until 2029. I am rather more sceptical especially given the state of the UK economy after a couple of quite catastrophic Rachel Reeves budgets.”