Jeremy Corbyn has launched a scathing attack on the Labour government, accusing it of “appeasing” Nigel Farage’s Reform UK by scapegoating migrants and minorities to distract from its own domestic policy failures.
The former Labour leader, who last week confirmed the formation of a new political party with ex-MP Zarah Sultana, said Britain was at a “critical juncture” politically and warned that mainstream parties risk fuelling the rise of right-wing populism by failing to offer meaningful alternatives.
“Our role is to provide hope, not fear,” Corbyn said, setting out his vision for a movement that directly challenges both Farage’s growing influence and the Labour Party’s rightward shift.
He accused the party he led between 2015 and 2020 of contributing to Reform UK’s rise by failing to address the root causes of inequality and instead pointing the finger at immigrants.
Writing in the Guardian, he said: “Up and down the country, there is huge appetite for an economic reset. One that brings water, energy, rail and mail into public ownership. One that invests in welfare, not warfare. One that makes the wealthiest in society pay a bit more in tax to ensure that everyone can live in dignity.
“This is the political vision that can inspire hope, not fear. The great dividers want you to think that migrants and minorities are responsible for the problems in our society. They’re not.
“Those problems are caused by a rigged economic system that protects the interests of billionaires and corporations. By scapegoating migrants and minorities for its own domestic failures, Labour has paved the path for Reform UK.
“This Labour government is here to appease Reform. We are here to defeat Reform. We are at a critical juncture, and we need an alternative, now.”
He added: “Politics should be about empowerment. Instead, people are shut out of the decisions that affect their daily lives. For too long, top-down political parties have patronised their members and disempowered the communities they claim to represent.”