LIVERPOOL, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 30: United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer delivers his speech during the Labour Conference at ACC Liverpool in Liverpool, United Kingdom, on September 30, 2025. (Photo by Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images)[/caption]
NIGEL Farage is responsible for causing the small boats crisis, Sir Keir Starmer claimed today.
The PM escalated his blazing row with the Reform chief as he declared Brexit is to blame for the onslaught of “Farage boats” in the channel.
Sir Keir Starmer has today claimed that Nigel Farage is responsible for causing the small boats crisis[/caption]
Sir Keir said Reform boss Nigel hated Britain and branded him an ‘enemy’[/caption]
Sir Keir said that before Britain divorced Brussels, returns agreements with the EU would enable illegal migrants to be sent packing.
He accused Mr Farage of scuppering those deals and holding sole responsibility for Britain’s broken borders.
The PM told GB News: “I would gently point out to Nigel Farage and others that before we left the EU we had a returns agreement with every country in the EU, and he told the country it would make no difference if we left.
“He was wrong about that.
“These are ‘Farage boats’, in many senses, that are coming across the Channel.”
Since Labour conference began on Sunday, a disastrous 1,368 illegal arrivals turned up on Britain’s shores.
The PM today hinted he will consider changing how courts apply human rights laws in migrant cases concerning “torture”.
He said ministers should “look at issues” in Article 3 of the ECHR, which is often used by dinghy arrivals to prevent their deportation.
Migrants have used the treaty to complain that if they are returned to their home state, they will face inadequate conditions in prison.
Sir Keir told BBC Radio 4: “I think there’s a difference between someone being deported to summary execution and someone who is simply going somewhere where they don’t have the same level of healthcare, or for that matter the same prison conditions.
“And therefore, I do think we should look at issues like that again, I think there’s quite an appetite to look at issues like that again.”
It comes after the PM declared war on Mr Farage as he kicked off his keynote speech at conference yesterday.
Sir Keir said Reform boss Nigel hated Britain and branded him an “enemy” in a gloves-off Labour conference speech.
He vowed to “fight with every breath I have” to stop him.
Pitching himself as a true patriot, he said be believed in a Britain with “the grit of the Lionesses, the swagger of Oasis, the strength of the Red Roses”.
Mr Farage fired back, warning Labour would be “taught a lesson” in next year’s elections and accused the PM of whipping up hatred.
Sir Keir giving his keynote speech in Liverpool[/caption]
