‘It’s an enormous leap’
Sky News presenter Wilfred Frost pushed back against Reform’s allegation that Keir Starmer is ‘inciting violence’ against Nigel Farage, after he called Reform’s policy to scrap Indefinite Leave to Remain racist.
In an interview this morning, Frost repeatedly asked Zia Yusuf, Reform’s head of policy, to clarify whether he stands by Farage’s claims the prime minister is ‘inciting violence’ against him.
Frost asked: “Are you really coming on here to say you think the prime minister wants harm to come to Nigel Farage, because language is important?”.
Yusuf failed to give a straight answer. Instead, he said he believes Farage will be the next UK prime minister and that Starmer can’t beat Reform at the next election, so “he [Starmer] has decided to embark on a campaign that is clearly, he knows, ‘inciteful’ of violence against him”.
“I think that sounds like an enormous leap to most people but you didn’t answer my question,” Frost said.
He asked again whether Yusuf thinks the prime minister wishes harm on Farage.
Yusuf responded: “I think he has embarked on a campaign of language specifically…”
Frost interrupted: “Please answer the question. Do you think the prime minister wishes harm on Nigel Farage. This is really important to clarify.”
Yusuf again dodged the question and repeated that he thinks Starmer has begun using “inflammatory language” because he can’t beat Farage at the ballot box.
“So you’re saying he wishes harm on Nigel Farage, that’s what you’re saying,” Frost asked again.
“You need to ask Keir Starmer that,” Yusuf said, before saying “it’s not a single errant comment, this is the government of the United Kingdom talking about a man who is the bookmaker’s favourite to be the next prime minister.”
He also told Frost to “look up stochastic terrorism.”
“It’s an enormous leap. It’s an enormous leap,” Frost responded firmly. “I’m sorry, Zia, it’s an enormous leap.”
Yusuf also claimed there are “millions of people in this country who, if anything was to happen to Nigel Farage, will hold the prime minister squarely responsible for his actions”.
Starmer has made clear he is not inciting violence. Senior cabinet minister Pat McFadden told Frost : “I think a lot of Reform’s protesting about this is because what they don’t want to talk about is the [Indefinite Leave to Remain] policy they announced last week.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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