Lord Kinnock urges Labour to combat Reform’s nationalism

He said Reform have withdrawn support to candidates who made offensive comments, and in a TV debate on Friday he repeated his assertion that the footage broadcast by Channel 4 was a “set-up”.

“You get people in all parties saying bad things and wrong things,” he said during questions from a BBC Question Time audience, arguing it was partly the consequence of having to find candidates quickly.

Lord Kinnock – the Labour leader from 1983 to 1992 – told the Guardian “now” was the time for his party to start targeting Reform.

“We have to combat this populist nationalism with words and explaining to people what these people are not just who they are.

“People like Farage, love the personal attention, like all narcissists, so we have to focus on explaining what they are, and all that inconsistencies and falsehoods, they plant and harvest lies”.

Lord Kinnock added: “The populist right have to be combated with actions that means the implementation of change which is positive and cumulative and driven by strong purpose in the service of community.”